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The second meeting of the Balkan Peace Platform will be held in Istanbul on Friday, Jan. 23, under the hosting of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, diplomatic sources said.
According to officials at the Foreign Ministry, the meeting is expected to bring together the foreign ministers of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Fidan is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts on the margins of the gathering.
At the meeting, as well as during bilateral talks, Fidan is expected to underline the importance of the principle of regional ownership and to reaffirm that the Balkan Peace Platform is not an alternative to existing regional and international mechanisms but rather a complementary and supportive initiative.
He is also expected to stress Türkiye’s determination to establish a cooperation framework based on concrete projects that contribute to peace, dialogue and prosperity in the Balkans, while drawing attention to the importance of conducting the European Union’s enlargement process within an inclusive framework that takes regional sensitivities into account.
Established under Türkiye’s leadership, the Balkan Peace Platform was launched to increase dialogue, trust and cooperation among countries in the region through a regional ownership approach and to contribute to the development of lasting solutions to regional challenges.
At the Istanbul meeting, participants are expected to discuss a wide range of issues, including regional developments, joint border management and the fight against irregular migration, coordination in EU-related processes, energy security, digitalization, industry, youth, technology, transport corridors and regional connectivity.
The first meeting of the Balkan Peace Platform was held in Istanbul on July 26, 2025.
Türkiye’s total trade volume with the countries participating in the Balkan Peace Platform stands at about $7 billion, while its total investments in these countries amount to roughly $8.9 billion.
Türkiye is an active participant in the South-East European Cooperation Process, the only platform that brings together 13 Balkan countries, and continues to promote regional cooperation.
The trilateral consultation mechanisms involving Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, as well as Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, established under Türkiye’s leadership, are cited by officials as concrete examples of Ankara’s emphasis on dialogue, reconciliation and confidence-building in the Balkans.
Türkiye also contributes to regional security and stability through its participation in international missions, including NATO’s Kosovo Force and the European Union Force mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Türkiye assumed command of NATO’s Kosovo Force from Italy for a one-year term in October 2025.
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