Newsletters
German Ambassador to Ankara Sibylle Katharina Sorg praised Türkiye's role in facilitating Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations during the 17th Istanbul Security Conference, calling recent developments "promising" as Istanbul emerges as a renewed meeting point for direct talks.
The conference, organized by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Türkiye Representative Office and Baskent University Strategic Research Application and Research Center, brought together over 130 participants from more than 20 countries at an Istanbul hotel.
Speaking at the conference, Ambassador Sorg emphasized the German government's "unprecedented" steps to strengthen European security while underscoring Türkiye's vital role within NATO.
"Similarly, Türkiye is a vital security provider for NATO. It is well known for its protective role in the Black Sea and on the southeastern flank. I want to emphasize how much we appreciate Türkiye's very important regional role," Sorg stated.
The German diplomat noted Türkiye's increasing responsibilities within the alliance, including air policing duties in the Baltic states and taking command of NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) once again.
Addressing Türkiye's mediation efforts in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Sorg expressed optimism about recent diplomatic developments.
"Recent developments, especially Türkiye's role in making Istanbul a meeting point again for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, are promising," she said.
The ambassador emphasized the need for sustainable peace in Ukraine, warning against superficial solutions: "We all want peace, but this must be a sustainable peace. Otherwise, it will not be peace. It will be surrender. Otherwise, Russia will soon turn to its next target in the Balkans, in Moldova, in the Baltic countries, in the Caucasus, or elsewhere."
Sorg highlighted the convergence of Turkish and German interests, stating that closer cooperation would be essential in the coming years.
"Türkiye has managed to become an important actor in many geopolitical hot spots," she noted, emphasizing the alignment of goals and interests between the two countries.
3 min read
