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Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Türkiye’s ambitious infrastructure projects during a panel on shifting geopolitical dynamics and their implications for the country.
“Türkiye shows all the dynamism in building infrastructure that is woefully lacking in the UK,” Johnson said, noting the United Kingdom’s failure to expand airport capacity in London and its recent cancellation of a high-speed rail project.
“And here, in Türkiye, you’ve built colossal airports, amazing new infrastructure, and high-speed rail,” he added. “It’s a lesson for us.”
The panel, titled “Changing Geopolitical and Economic Dynamics in the New World Order: The Effects of Trump Policies on Türkiye and the Business World,” was organized by the Turkish Finance Accountants’ Foundation (HUV) and attended by Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, former WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo, HUV President Ahmet Eren, and several prominent business figures.
Reflecting on his time as mayor of London, Johnson recalled his involvement in major projects, including Crossrail, which he described as “the biggest engineering project in Europe.” He also highlighted numerous river crossings built during his tenure.
“In the UK, we have to accept that Türkiye’s ambitions are really inspiring and leaving us behind,” Johnson said. “The scale and the pace of change here since I first came to Türkiye has been extraordinary, and Türkiye has taken on an ever more important role on the world stage—as a bridge between East and West, but also more importantly, as a force for global stability.”
Johnson also credited Türkiye for its role in NATO and its efforts in Syria. “Türkiye has done some great things,” he said. “I hope very much that we’ll have some peace and stability in that country.”
He emphasized the importance of Türkiye-U.K. cooperation, saying the two countries have “a great role together in reassuring the world about the permanence of our values and restoring some common sense where that is necessary.”
Addressing the war in Ukraine, Johnson called for urgent action and commended Ankara’s peace efforts. “The first priority is to end the miserable war in Ukraine,” he said. “In the White House, they are finally understanding that (…) Ukraine didn’t start this war—Russia is the aggressor, and I think they always did (understand), (since) it’s very clear to President Trump. I think he is now going to start putting real pressure on Vladimir Putin.”
Ahmet Eren, president of the Turkish Finance Accountants’ Foundation (HUV), said the annual panel has previously brought together Turkish and international politicians, academics, and experts to evaluate global economic shifts in 2023 and 2024. This year’s edition aimed to capture broader international attention.
“The panel was determined before U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election, but Trump’s statements stirred the global economy, especially his April 2 statements, making this issue ever more important,” Eren said.
“Assessing the effects of Trump’s second term in office on the global political and economic system is much more important today than ever,” he added.
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