ANKARA, July 8 - Turkey put on a red-white-and-blue air show and named a new airport building after President Donald Trump, seeking to take its relationship with the U.S. to new heights at a NATO summit in Ankara, even as the U.S. leader lashed out at others in the defence alliance.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Trump at the airport on Tuesday and then walked arm-in-arm with his "dear friend", who later promised to drop sanctions that he himself had imposed on Turkey during his first term as president six years ago — one of the darkest moments in U.S.-Turkish ties.

The relationship grew even brighter over the two-day summit that ended on Wednesday. Trump said he was willing to sell Turkey F-35 fighter jets - though later he said he has not totally made up his mind - and repeatedly praised Erdogan, with whom he shared smiles, laughs and embraces as they communicated via translators.

TRUMP SAID HE ATTENDED BECAUSE OF ERDOGAN

For many diplomats, Turkey's single biggest challenge had been ensuring that the U.S. leader would even attend the annual gathering of 32 NATO leaders, even though he has not yet missed a summit.

Trump, who has long said that NATO allies are not pulling their weight, said he only attended because Erdogan was the host. That itself marked a diplomatic success — and an opportunity — for Turkey, which wants to boost its stature within the bloc and also overcome longstanding issues with Washington.

"It was valuable that Trump emphasised the importance he places on myself and our friendship," Erdogan said as the summit closed. "I thank my dear friend once again."

A day after his warm bilateral talks with Erdogan, Trump on Wednesday threw the summit into disarray as he demanded the U.S. cut trade ties with Spain and reiterated his claims on Greenland, irking NATO ally Denmark.

He later said there had been love and "a lot of unity" at a leaders' meeting, bringing some relief to a trans-Atlantic defence bloc wary of an unpredictable U.S. president who has questioned the alliance's value.