Photo: Adem Altan/AFP via Getty Images
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday for his projected victory in the 2020 election.
Why it matters: Erdoğan was one of the major leaders who had yet to congratulate Biden, in addition to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
- Even amid a tricky few years for U.S.-Turkey relations, Erdoğan and Trump have maintained a strong personal relationship.
- They’ve spoken regularly, and the Turkish strongman appeared to have significant influence over Trump, including on Syria policy.
What he's saying: "I reiterate our determination to work closely with the U.S. Administration in this direction in the upcoming period, and I believe that the strong cooperation and alliance between our countries will continue to contribute to world peace in the future as it has been until today," Erdoğan said in a statement.
The big picture: While most world leaders ignored Trump’s protestations and congratulated Biden shortly after his victory was declared on Saturday, so far only four Senate Republicans have acknowledged the outcome of the election.
- Governments around the world are preparing to work with Biden, yet some have stayed silent to avoid provoking Trump in the final weeks of his presidency.
Go deeper: As Trump fights the transition in D.C., the world moves on to Biden