Newsletters
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in a phone call that the process triggered by the intervention against Iran had led to a geostrategic deadlock and that the international community should intensify efforts to end the war, according to a statement from Türkiye's Directorate of Communications.
Erdogan also received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul for talks on bilateral ties, regional stability and security.
According to the statement, Erdogan and Rutte discussed regional and global issues as well as matters concerning NATO. During the call, Erdogan said solidarity shown during the current period, including NATO's support for Türkiye's air defense, had once again demonstrated the alliance's deterrent power.
Separately, Erdogan welcomed Zelenskyy with an official ceremony at the Dolmabahce Working Office in Istanbul, after which the two leaders moved to a bilateral meeting.
In the phone call with Rutte, Erdogan said the process that began with the intervention against Iran had been dragged into a geostrategic impasse.
He said the international community should increase its efforts to bring the war to an end.
The statement said the two leaders discussed regional and global developments as well as issues concerning NATO.
Erdogan also pointed to NATO's support for Türkiye's air defense and said the solidarity displayed in this period had once again shown the alliance's deterrence.
He further said that he continued efforts aimed at ensuring the Russia-Ukraine war ends in peace.
During the conversation, Erdogan congratulated NATO on its 77th anniversary.
He also said he hoped decisions would be taken at the NATO Ankara Summit, scheduled for July 7-8, 2026, that would make the alliance more resilient and effective against future challenges.
The statement said Erdogan expressed the wish that the summit in Ankara would produce outcomes that strengthen the alliance in the face of coming tests.
In Istanbul, Erdogan received Zelenskyy with an official ceremony at the Dolmabahce Working Office.
After the ceremony, Erdogan and Zelenskyy moved on to a bilateral meeting.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said he had arrived in Istanbul, where important meetings were scheduled.
He said substantive talks had been prepared with Erdogan and that the two sides were working to strengthen their partnership to ensure real protection of people's lives, advance stability and guarantee security in Europe as well as in the Middle East.
Zelenskyy also said joint efforts always deliver the best results.
The statements and meetings brought together several issues at once, including the war involving Iran, NATO matters, the Russia-Ukraine war and bilateral talks between Türkiye and Ukraine.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
