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Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz stated on Friday that war benefits no one and that a just peace is in everyone's interest.
He called for an immediate ceasefire followed by a permanent diplomatic resolution, as he addressed journalists at the sidelines of the fifth International Strategic Communication Summit (Stratcom Summit) 2026 in Istanbul.
Speaking to journalists after delivering the opening address at the STRATCOM Summit 2026, held under the theme "Fracture in the International System: Crises, Narratives and the Quest for Order," Yilmaz stated that the conflict's costs are mounting at a global level.
"War benefits no one. A just peace, however, is beneficial for everyone. For the sake of stability and prosperity both in our region and at the global level, we need to see this war end as soon as possible," he said.
"Even if this war ends, clearing the destruction that has been caused will take time. The longer it continues, the deeper our problems will become and the longer-term effects they will produce. Therefore, we will continue to exert every effort for this war to end immediately," the Turkish vice president added.
He said Türkiye, through President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and other institutions, had made great efforts to prevent the war from starting, but the conflict began regardless.
He described its costs as "far-reaching," adding that, "Bombed schools, the loss of children's lives, through to economic and environmental costs, this has not only affected our region but has reached dimensions that will affect the entire world and global economy."
"Energy prices, logistics, disruptions in supply chains, tourism, unfortunately all of these have now begun to affect the global economy in many dimensions," he noted.
Yilmaz noted that Ankara's position is clear and principled, adding, "As the Republic of Türkiye, we expect this war to end as soon as possible, first by achieving a ceasefire, and then by overcoming conflict risks permanently through diplomacy, in a way that we will not experience them again."
"The Republic of Türkiye is clearly demonstrating and will continue to demonstrate its stance in favor of peace, in favor of diplomacy, and against wars," he noted.
He also expressed cautious optimism about recent diplomatic signals while noting ongoing uncertainty by saying, "We hope that these negotiations reach a conclusion. The recent positive messages are encouraging, but uncertainties continue. We are not yet in a position to speak entirely clearly about this."
"We will always continue to contribute whatever is necessary for diplomacy and negotiation to prevail," he added.
The Turkish vice president also highlighted Israel's actions in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria as matters requiring condemnation, saying these are taking place under the shadow created by the Iran war.
He added that Israel's closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque to worshippers even during Eid prayer "is not acceptable under any measure" and constitutes "a great betrayal of the spirit of Jerusalem and the legacy of the Prophet Ibrahim."
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