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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Tuesday that "no one can draw borders" for Türkiye, in remarks that Turkish outlets reported as a response to rhetoric from Israel targeting the country.
Speaking after the third Cabinet meeting held at the Ahlat Presidential Complex in the eastern province of Bitlis, Erdogan said Türkiye would not be deterred from supporting the recovery of its neighbors, regardless of objections.
"We will not give up supporting the recovery of our neighbors just because murder networks with the blood of innocents on their hands are uncomfortable with it," he said, adding that "we have no hidden agenda, no hidden intention, as some claim."
Erdogan said new conflict scenarios were being attempted in the region and that Türkiye would not permit them to materialize. He said the country's foreign policy is determined solely by the Turkish nation.
"No actor other than the nation can draw a route or border for Türkiye and Turkish foreign policy," he said. He added that Türkiye would not compromise on its principles or national interests and would continue to stand by allied and "brotherly" nations that rely on it.
Turning to the economy, Erdogan said his government was working to keep Türkiye on a path of growth despite conflicts in the surrounding region.
He acknowledged that regional crises were affecting Türkiye economically, as they were the rest of the world, but said the country remained committed to its targets in employment, exports, agriculture and tourism. He described the current period as a "crisis storm" that the government was managing "without resorting to populism," while carefully safeguarding national resources.
Among the government's stated priorities were keeping economic activity running, protecting jobs, limiting the impact of fluctuating commodity prices, and pursuing opportunities in the defense industry and international investment.
Erdogan also said the economic shock caused by tension between Iran and the United States would ease over time, adding, "Türkiye is on the right path, God willing," and crediting what he called an experienced and dedicated administration for steering the country through the period.
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Erdogan devoted much of his remarks to what the government calls the "Terror-Free Türkiye" process, pointing to a law passed by parliament the previous week by a vote of 467 in favor, which he said was aimed at strengthening national solidarity and social integration.
He thanked lawmakers who supported the measure, calling it a turning point in Turkish politics that had renewed confidence in the broader process.
He praised the fact that political parties representing different segments of society had converged on the issue, saying the consensus would strengthen democracy, expand the capacity of civilian politics and help move the country past the legacy of past military tutelage.
Erdogan called on people across the political spectrum to become part of the solution, while urging caution in public rhetoric and warning against statements or actions that could inflame public sensitivities during the process. He described the matter as a concern for the entire nation of 86 million rather than for his government or political alliance alone.
The Cabinet meeting coincided with commemorations marking the 955th anniversary of the Battle of Malazgirt, fought near Ahlat in 1071 and widely regarded in Turkish history as opening Anatolia to Turkic settlement.
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