Newsletters
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations may resume in Istanbul following a statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov requesting second-round talks in the Turkish metropolis.
Speaking to journalists after returning from Azerbaijan's Independence Day celebrations in Lachin, Erdogan cited recent diplomatic developments as reason for renewed optimism about peace prospects.
"The Russia-Ukraine war has evolved into a multi-layered crisis involving not only the two countries but also global actors," Erdogan noted.
"You know our Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was in Russia. As a result of his meetings in Moscow, today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made a statement. Lavrov said they want second-round talks between Russia and Ukraine to be held in Istanbul," Erdogan told reporters.
"Through this, the Istanbul peace process will hopefully restart. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's statement should not be taken lightly. This statement has further increased our hope for peace."
Erdogan emphasized Türkiye's continued commitment to facilitating dialogue between the warring parties, noting that his country maintains contact with both Russia and Ukraine.
"We will continue to strive for peace. We are in contact with both Russia and Ukraine. We see the momentum we’ve gained as a genuine opportunity for lasting peace. In every meeting, we remind our counterparts that this opportunity should not be missed. While the door is ajar, we say: let’s not close it. The path to resolution lies in more dialogue and more diplomacy," President Erdogan stated.
"We are using all of our diplomatic strength and potential in pursuit of peace. Extinguishing this great fire in our region is both a humanitarian duty and in our national interest," he added.
President Erdogan concluded by saying: "We hope that, as a result of our peace efforts, we will reach the reconciliation we desire. Over the course of the past four years, the entire world has come to see that this war has fundamentally altered Europe’s security architecture and especially its energy policies. The European Union's efforts to reduce its energy dependency on Russia have led to new pursuits, thereby increasing the geopolitical importance of transit countries like Türkiye."
During his Azerbaijan visit, Erdogan participated in the second summit of the Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Pakistan regional consultation mechanism, alongside Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The leaders discussed bilateral issues and regional developments affecting all three countries, including trade, investments, energy cooperation, food security, and the Caspian-transit East-West Middle Corridor.
"We have intensive contact and cooperation with both Azerbaijan and Pakistan at all levels," Erdogan noted, emphasizing the expanding partnership among the three nations.
Erdogan participated in the opening ceremony of Lachin International Airport alongside President Aliyev, marking another infrastructure milestone in the Karabagh region liberated from 30 years of occupation.
"We are pleased to see Karabakh, which gained its freedom after 30 years of occupation, once more. We see that Azerbaijan continues its development and reconstruction mobilization at full speed in every corner of Karabakh," Erdogan stated.
Turkish companies contributed to the airport's construction, with more than 10 Turkish firms involved in the project, according to the president.
Addressing the ongoing normalization between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Erdogan expressed satisfaction with steps taken toward a peace agreement.
"We now want to see peace and stability—not conflict—in the South Caucasus. A lasting peace in the region will benefit everyone. We are pleased to see the prospect of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the horizon," Erdogan stated.
"We welcome the steps taken between Azerbaijan and Armenia with satisfaction. We also view reaching consensus on the peace agreement text as an important development on the path to stability," he said.
Erdogan noted that Türkiye also maintains a careful normalization process with Armenia, expressing confidence that both peace and normalization will benefit all countries involved.
"We are closely following this process and contributing where needed. The peace to be achieved will be valuable not only for Azerbaijan and Armenia but also for our country. We, too, are undergoing a cautious normalization process with Armenia. Once both peace and normalization are achieved, we will see that all our countries come out ahead. So, we have no concerns in this regard," he added.
Regarding the Zangezur Corridor connecting Azerbaijan's main territory with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia, Erdogan emphasized its strategic importance.
"As for the issue of Zangezur … The Zangezur Corridor is not just a land connection between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan; it is also a new integration route that extends to the Turkic world via Türkiye. Opening this corridor soon will also strengthen the transportation and energy infrastructure in the Caucasus," he explained.
The president called on Iran to support regional peace and development initiatives, stating: "We expect our neighbor Iran to support these steps that will contribute to peace, stability, and development in the region."
"We truly hope they, too, benefit from this 'win-win' climate. Every step taken, every corridor opened, will not only bring economic gains but also gradually bring countries closer together," he concluded.
Addressing domestic terrorism issues, Erdogan provided updates on what he termed the terror-free Türkiye process, expressing satisfaction with current developments.
"Thank Allah, no problems or difficulties are visible in the terror-free Türkiye process. Developments continue in a positive direction. Despite a few cracked voices, the messages given are quite reasonable, positive, and constructive," he stated.
"We have now made progress on this issue unlike ever before. Allah willing, we will reach our goal of a terror-free Türkiye. Everything we do, we do for our country, Türkiye. Everything we do is for the peace and well-being of our nation," he added.
"We will never engage in any negotiations that would disturb our people. We trust our nation, and we trust in the power of brotherhood," Erdogan noted.
On Syria, he underlined the importance of preserving its territorial integrity and unitary structure, warning that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to use stalling tactics despite prior agreements. He said Türkiye is closely monitoring developments and emphasized the need for timely implementation of commitments.
"Our discussions with Syrian President (Ahmad al-)Sharaa have been in this direction. Thankfully, on the path to a terror-free Türkiye, there are no major obstacles or issues at the moment. Developments are progressing in a positive and constructive direction. Despite a few dissenting voices, the overall messages being delivered are reasonable, positive, and constructive," he added.
"Naturally, with each new stage, our hopes grow—but so does our responsibility. Our colleagues continue their talks with Syria. We remain vigilant against those who seek to sabotage the process," he stated.
President Erdoğan affirmed that Türkiye will not allow any opportunity for terrorist groups, stating the country’s clear goal is to eliminate the terrorism problem that has cost lives, time, and served the interests of hostile actors.
2 min read
