REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, ANKARA -- Deputy for Protocol, Press and Media of the Presidential Secretariat, M Yusuf Permana said that the moment of welcoming President Prabowo Subianto by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan upon his arrival at Esenboga Airport, Ankara, Turkey on Wednesday (9/4/2025) evening, showed the personal closeness between the two.
When he landed at Esenboga Airport in Ankara on Wednesday around 18.58 local time, President Prabowo was greeted directly by President Erdogan who had been waiting not far from the steps of the plane. Afterwards, Erdogan embraced Prabowo, who has visited Turkey three times, twice to Ankara and once to Istanbul since winning the 2024 presidential election.
“We saw him give warm greetings, then hugs, that moment once again showed the personal closeness between the two leaders, President Prabowo and Mr. President Erdogan,” Yusuf said during a media briefing in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday evening.
Yusuf said that after shaking hands and hugging warmly, the two leaders chatted with each other as they passed Turkish honor guard troops. As honorary troops welcomed Prabowo's arrival in Turkey, Indonesia's national anthem Hari Merdeka and Turkey's national anthem Istiklal Marsi were played, adding to the jubilation of the welcoming event.
It was also seen that two children dressed in traditional Turkish fashion gave a bouquet of flowers adding warmth to the welcome of Prabowo and his entourage.
Erdogan and Prabowo then walked towards a waiting room inside the airport. The two chatted for some time before eventually splitting up.
President Prabowo, along with his entourage from Jakarta, namely Foreign Minister Sugiono and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, accompanied by Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey Achmad Rizal Purnama, continued on their way to a five-star hotel in downtown Ankara where the President stayed overnight.
President Prabowo's visit to Turkey is a return visit after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Indonesia in February 2025. Turkey is Prabowo's second foreign destination after the United Arab Emirates.
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