Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Türkiye’s rapid infrastructure development during a panel on shifting geopolitical dynamics and the country’s growing global influence, calling it a model the United Kingdom should learn from.
“Türkiye shows all the dynamism in building infrastructure that is woefully lacking in the U.K.,” Johnson said, pointing to stalled or canceled projects in Britain, including the lack of a new runway for London airports and the recent cancellation of a high-speed rail line.
“In Türkiye, you’ve built colossal airports, amazing new infrastructure, and high-speed rail,” he said. “It’s a lesson for us.”
Johnson, who served as Mayor of London before becoming prime minister, recalled his efforts to expand transportation networks in the capital. “Crossrail was the biggest engineering project in Europe at the time. I built lots of river crossings,” he said.
He added that the U.K.'s pace of development has fallen behind that of Türkiye, and praised the country’s ambition, calling it "really inspiring." He also noted Türkiye’s evolving geopolitical role. “The scale and pace of change here since I first came to Türkiye has been extraordinary. Türkiye has taken on an ever more important role on the world stage—as a bridge between East and West and, more importantly, as a force for global stability.”
Johnson also highlighted Türkiye’s contributions as a NATO member and its role in regional diplomacy, particularly in Syria. “I hope very much that we’ll have some peace and stability in that country,” he said.
He emphasized the shared values between the UK and Türkiye, stating that both countries have a key role in “reassuring the world about the permanence of our values and restoring some common sense where that is necessary.”
Turning to the war in Ukraine, Johnson said ending the “miserable” conflict should be a global priority and praised Türkiye’s efforts toward peace. “In the White House, they are finally understanding that Ukraine didn’t start this war—Russia is the aggressor,” he said. “I think they always did, and it’s very clear to President Trump. I think he is now going to start putting real pressure on Vladimir Putin.”
The panel was organized by the Turkish Finance Accountants’ Foundation (HUV). Its president, Ahmet Eren, said this year’s event brought together Turkish and international experts, scientists, and politicians to address changes in the global economy in 2023 and 2024.
Eren noted that the panel was planned before U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election, but that recent developments, including his remarks on April 2, have intensified interest in the event. “Assessing the effects of Trump’s second term in office on the global political and economic system is more important
