Politics
Turkish top diplomat due in Ukraine after Russia talks
Serkan Demirtaş – ANKARA
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will pay a two-day visit to Ukraine after his crucial talks in Russia, Turkish diplomatic sources have informed, in a sign of Türkiye’s growing role and influence for ending the war between the two warring nations.
The sources said Fidan will be in Kiev on May 29 and 30 where he will meet Ukraine President Volodymir Zelensky, Foreign Minister Andrii Shiba, presidential office head Andrii Yermak as well as Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation in the May 16 direct talks in Istanbul.
Fidan was in Moscow on May 26 and 27 and was received by Russian President Vladimir Putin and held talks with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as well as Russian delegation head and presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.
Fidan’s shuttle diplomacy between Moscow and Kiev follows the parties’ first direct talks that were held in Istanbul on May 16, a development that flourished hopes for ending the war through a negotiated agreement.
In Kiev, Fidan will underline once again Türkiye’s readiness to host the next rounds of direct talks between the two warring parties while reiterating that the prolongation of the war will lead to more destruction for both parties.
Lavrov signaled that Moscow would return to Istanbul for talks if the two sides could agree on the conditions. Fidan told reporters after the Moscow talks that Russian authorities assured him they are documenting their conditions for a prospected resumption of direct talks.
In Kiev, Fidan will hear Ukraine’s views on returning to the table in a more structured and goal-oriented manner which would lead to peace and stability.
Ukraine has emphasized the need for talks at the leaders’ level, but Russia wants technical preparations before a Zelensky-Putin meeting. The former also wants the cessation of the armed conflict for resuming talks but Russia rejects this idea.
Zelensky paid a visit to Ankara on May 15 to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a day before Istanbul meeting. The Ukraine president had expressed his gratefulness over Türkiye’s hosting the direct talks.
Ankara emphasizes strategic ties with Kiev
In Kiev, Fidan will discuss the steps the two countries can take in the fields of trade, energy, defense and security in the context of a Turkish-Ukrainian strategic partnership, the sources informed.
Türkiye’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity will also be voiced by Fidan during his talks. He will also repeat Türkiye’s readiness to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine in the post-war era.
The Turkish top diplomat will also meet with representatives of the Crimean Tatars, including their national leader Mustafa Kırımoğlu and others senior officials.
Türkiye will mark the 10th anniversary of the defeated July 15, 2016 coup attempt with a nationwide series of commemorative events aimed at honoring those killed and injured while reinforcing public awareness of the events, organizers announced Thursday.
The July 15 Association unveiled the program during a press conference at the July 15 Memory Museum in Istanbul, saying activities will take place throughout July, with some projects continuing year-round.
Deputy Governor of Istanbul Mehmet Sülün said the commemorations are intended not only to remember the events of July 15 but also to preserve public memory for future generations.
“The purpose of these events is to honor our martyrs and remind society of the sacrifices made by our nation on that night,” Sülün said, adding that the program was prepared in coordination with the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, public institutions and civil society organizations.
July 15 Association President Ismail Hakkı Turunç noted the lessons of the failed coup attempt should not be forgotten even a decade later.
“We cannot simply say it happened and move on,” Turunç stressed. “There are important lessons to be learned from this attack against our nation’s values and future.”
Turunç, who said he took part in the civilian resistance in Istanbul on the night of the coup attempt, recalled losing 13 friends in Saraçhane while 47 others were wounded. He reminded the resistance, in which 253 people were killed and nearly 2,800 were injured nationwide, represented a collective stand by the Turkish people.
Academic symposiums will be held in Istanbul and Ankara from July 9 to July 11, while Türkiye’s major suspension bridges, including the July 15 Martyrs Bridge and the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, will be decorated with Turkish flags.
Other events include Quran recitations at Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, programs for the children of martyrs and veterans, blood donation campaigns, public exhibitions, memorial runs, cycling and motorcycle tours, and a flotilla of 253 boats in the Marmara Sea.
On July 15, commemorations will culminate with an official ceremony in Istanbul’s Saraçhane district, alongside projection mapping displays at Galata Tower and the Maiden’s Tower.
Organizers said additional projects, including traveling exhibitions, public discussions and educational initiatives, will continue throughout the year to preserve the memory of the failed coup attempt.
Türkiye’s Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) has removed 62 former judges and prosecutors from their positions over their roles in the investigation and prosecution of the Ergenekon case, a move that also clears the way for the Treasury to seek reimbursement of compensation previously paid to victims following court rulings.
The decision, issued by the HSK’s Second Chamber, concerns judicial officials who served during various stages of the Ergenekon investigation and trial. Most of those named had already been dismissed from the judiciary after the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt over alleged links to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which Ankara blames for orchestrating the coup attempt.
According to the disciplinary ruling, the chamber imposed a total of 230 dismissal sanctions involving 62 former judges and prosecutors. Proceedings against two individuals were terminated due to their deaths.
Among those listed in the decision are former prosecutor Zekeriya Öz and former prosecutor Fikret Seçen, both of whom were key figures during the Ergenekon investigations.
The Ergenekon case began in 2007 after weapons were discovered in Istanbul’s Ümraniye district and eventually led to the prosecution of hundreds of military officers, journalists, academics and other public figures accused of belonging to an alleged clandestine network plotting to overthrow the government.
Following the failed coup attempt in 2016, Turkish authorities reassessed many of the investigations and trials carried out by members of FETÖ’s network within the judiciary. Officials have since argued that the Ergenekon proceedings were part of a broader effort by the terrorist group to remove senior military personnel and expand its influence within state institutions.
The HSK said disciplinary complaints related to the Ergenekon proceedings had remained pending for years while criminal investigations continued. The chamber decided to proceed with disciplinary action without waiting for the conclusion of all criminal proceedings, citing the requirements of disciplinary law and the need to protect public confidence in the judiciary.
The ruling is also expected to have financial consequences.
The HSK authorized the state to seek recourse against those held responsible for compensation payments made by the Treasury after rulings by the Constitutional Court and other courts found rights violations in relation to the Ergenekon proceedings. The decision opens the possibility of recovering compensation already paid by the state from the former judicial officials concerned.
The disciplinary sanctions vary among those named in the ruling.
Former Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court President Hasan Hüseyin Özese received 19 dismissal sanctions, while Sedat Sami Haşıloğlu received 17 and Hüsnü Çalmuk 16. Former prosecutor Zekeriya Öz received 13 sanctions, while Mehmet Ali Pekgüzel and Ercan Fırat each received 12. Several other former judges and prosecutors received multiple dismissal sanctions, bringing the total number of disciplinary penalties to 230.
The ruling marks one of the most extensive disciplinary decisions taken in connection with the Ergenekon proceedings and represents another step in Türkiye’s continuing efforts to address alleged FETÖ influence within the judiciary following the 2016 coup attempt.
Justice Minister and HSK President Akın Gürlek repeatedly pledged to continue efforts to eliminate illegal structures within the judiciary and strengthen public confidence in the judicial system. The latest ruling is being viewed by judicial observers as one of the most comprehensive disciplinary measures related to the Ergenekon case since the aftermath of the failed coup.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has extended condolences and pledged solidarity with Venezuela after a pair of powerful earthquakes struck the country, killing at least 32 people, injuring more than 700 and prompting a national state of emergency as rescue teams continue digging through widespread destruction.
The disaster unfolded late Wednesday when two strong quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5, struck in quick succession along Venezuela’s northern Caribbean coast.
The second tremor hit roughly 40 seconds after the first, amplifying structural stress across already weakened buildings and infrastructure.
The shallow depth of the earthquakes intensified the impact, turning routine urban centers into scenes of collapse and chaos, with reports of damaged roads, disrupted communications and widespread power outages.
Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced a national state of emergency as emergency crews were deployed across affected regions, particularly in Yaracuy state and nearby coastal areas.
Early figures placed the death toll at 32, with more than 700 injured, though officials warned those numbers remain fluid as search-and-rescue operations continue in heavily damaged urban zones.
In a message posted on social media platform X, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed sorrow over the loss of life and sent wishes for recovery to those injured. He stressed that Türkiye shares the grief of the Venezuelan people and reaffirmed that Ankara stands ready to support its “friends in difficult days,” framing the response as both humanitarian and diplomatic solidarity.
The epicenter of the quakes was reported in Venezuela’s Yaracuy region, near San Felipe and Moron, areas that sit roughly west of Caracas.
The seismic activity, occurring at shallow depths estimated between 10 and 22 kilometers, is considered unusually destructive for the region, with experts noting that shallow quakes tend to transmit stronger surface shaking and cause greater building failure.
Beyond the immediate casualties, the earthquakes disrupted critical infrastructure across multiple states.
Transportation networks, including sections of airport operations and urban transit systems, were temporarily halted or restricted.
Hospitals in affected areas were overwhelmed by incoming casualties, while emergency responders worked through aftershocks and unstable structures in search of survivors.
Authorities in Caracas and surrounding regions have warned that aftershocks are expected to continue, complicating rescue operations and recovery efforts.
International assistance has begun to mobilize, with several governments signaling readiness to provide humanitarian aid, search-and-rescue teams and emergency supplies as damage assessments expand.
The disaster marks one of the most severe seismic events Venezuela has experienced in decades, a country that lies near active tectonic boundaries but rarely sees earthquakes of this magnitude in rapid succession.
Scientists say the close timing of the two major quakes likely contributed to the scale of structural collapse, as buildings weakened by the first shock were hit again before stabilizing.
The crisis also underscores growing diplomatic engagement between Ankara and Caracas.
Türkiye and Venezuela have expanded ties in recent years across trade, energy and mining sectors, with high-level talks held in Istanbul earlier in June between Erdoğan and Venezuela’s leadership.
Those discussions focused on strengthening economic cooperation, adding context to Ankara’s swift humanitarian response.
Türkiye has increasingly positioned itself as a rapid responder in global disasters, often deploying search-and-rescue teams through its AFAD disaster agency.
The country’s own experience with major earthquakes in recent years has shaped its emphasis on international humanitarian outreach.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) denied the extraordinary congress request by former Chair Özgür Özel but set September as the month to begin the ordinary congress process. Özel hopes to take back his seat with an extraordinary intra-party election after a court ousted him from office over vote-buying allegations in a 2023 intra-party vote. Reinstated Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu resisted the call since he returned to office in May, but his spokesperson, Müslim Sarı, announced the congress on Tuesday evening.
Sarı’s statement came after a meeting of the party’s assembly under the leadership of Kılıçdaroğlu and days after supporters of Özel delivered a petition bearing signatures of hundreds of delegates calling for a congress to the party’s headquarters.
Özel counts on a new election, while the Kılıçdaroğlu administration continues its purge of pro-Özel figures in the party, under the name of “clearing the party of corruption.” On Tuesday, the party announced the removal of chairs of CHP branches in Malatya and Kayseri. The removals and new appointments have incited tensions in the party. Earlier, pro-Özel groups had resisted handing over the administration to a new chair in the western city of Izmir, and similar scenes were repeated late Tuesday in Malatya. Barış Yıldız, removed from the office in Malatya, refused to leave the building for hours. His successor, Hakan Satılmış, notified police and forced his way into the locked building with the aid of a locksmith. Satılmış told reporters that they tried to carry out the transition in a calm manner, but the former administration opposed them.
New party
Though he seeks re-election in the CHP, Özel also continues preparations to launch a separate party. Rumored to be named “March Party” in reference to Özel’s slogan “marching to power,” the party may be founded if the congress process takes longer than expected. The Özel camp hopes to take back the party or establish a new one before the 2028 general elections.
Sources close to Özel told the Nefes newspaper, a media outlet supporting the former chair, that the new party would be a “Türkiye alliance” rather than a left-wing movement. The CHP, founded by the republic’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, portrays itself as a social democrat party and is a member of the Socialist International. It failed to win any election in decades, and after the victory of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in its first election more than two decades ago, it has strictly ranked second in consecutive election races. The AK Party links its success to catering to a wide variety of the electorate from all across the political spectrum. Sources also said they would field a presidential candidate in the next election who would be championed by voters from all walks of life.
Speaking at the parliamentary group meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Wednesday in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the region would eventually have peace, and it would be “despite Israel, Israel’s provocations.”
He criticized the “massacre” network that has turned terrorism and occupation into state policy and has done everything over the past 10 days to sabotage the U.S.-Iran deal.
Erdoğan champions the Palestinian cause and led Türkiye to cut off ties with Israel after a new round of Palestine-Israel conflict broke out in 2023. Türkiye sees Israel as the main adversary in the region due to the latter’s expansionist policies, which brought conflicts to the levels of genocide in Gaza and spilled over into Syria and Lebanon. Ankara has accused the Netanyahu administration of pursuing a “promised land” ideal, especially in light of the U.S.-Israel-Iran war. Israel was not a party to the recent U.S.-Iran deal to end the conflict and continued attacks in neighboring Lebanon.
The president said they managed to keep the country out of the “ring of fire” during the U.S.-Israel-Iran war. “We did not give in to Israel’s attempts to stir up new conflicts in our region,” he said.
Erdoğan emphasized that one of the riskiest conflicts since World War II had been successfully managed thanks to their policies and coordination with allies. He stated that throughout this difficult process, all institutions, especially the foreign affairs and security bureaucracy, had displayed great effort and dedication.
Explaining that they had contributed to the negotiation process between the U.S. and Iran with great care, “sometimes through back-channel diplomacy, sometimes by taking a direct stance, and at other times by intervening before disagreements escalated,” Erdoğan said: “We are now in a period that requires even greater sensitivity. We know that Israel cannot tolerate even the slightest possibility of peace. Looking at the statements they have made over the past 10 days, one can see that what stands before us is not statecraft but rather a group of radicals who have lost all sense of reason. The situation is so grave that everyone is accusing one another of killing too few people and shedding too little blood. Both the government and the opposition are constantly trying to outdo each other in advocating genocide. A frenzied crowd, competing with one another in recklessness, never wants the guns in our region to fall silent. This network of slaughter, which views its national security as dependent on the instability of everyone else, including its neighbors, and which has turned terrorism and occupation into state policy, has been doing everything in its power over the past 10 days to sabotage the agreement reached through the tremendous efforts of all parties. They will continue every kind of mischief until they achieve their goals. If peace comes to our region, it will come despite Israel. If stability is established in our region, it will be despite Israel’s provocations. No matter what this network of slaughter does, it will not be able to prevent peace, tranquility, justice, stability and prosperity from prevailing in our region, Allah willing,” he said.
“As Türkiye, we will not refrain from doing whatever falls upon us to ensure that even the slightest opportunity for peace is utilized. In the coming period, we will continue to provide every possible support to efforts aimed at achieving a lasting resolution to the Iran crisis,” Erdoğan added.
‘Chaotic’ opposition
As he praised the government’s actions for peace diplomacy, Erdoğan had an equal share of criticism for the opposition, namely the Republican People’s Party (CHP). Though he said Ankara did not care about the infighting in the fragmented CHP, he devoted a substantial part of his speech to criticize the party and warn it not to prevent Parliament from functioning.
“Chaos and turmoil reign in the opposition as our People’s Alliance stands united,” Erdoğan said.
The CHP is engaged in a bitter row over who will lead the party after Özgür Özel was relieved of duty as leader in May over a court verdict affirming that his victory in a 2023 intra-party vote was dubious, over allegations of vote-buying to defeat then incumbent Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Kılıçdaroğlu was reinstated to his office, while Özel continues to call for another election in the party. Since the court ruled for “absolute nullification” of the Özel administration and Kılıçdaroğlu’s return, the party has been de facto divided in two. The Özel camp refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the Kılıçdaroğlu administration. Özel was relegated to the post of parliamentary group chair of the CHP and insisted on holding parliamentary group meetings of the party for two weeks in a row, while Kılıçdaroğlu appears to be bowing to the pressure and instead prefers to hold party meetings at the CHP’s headquarters.
Erdoğan said the CHP was involved in “mud-wrestling” and tried to “drag them to mud as well.” Özel insists on portraying what is happening in the CHP as “an intervention” by the judiciary and the government to divide the party, and his supporters squarely blame Kılıçdaroğlu for betraying the party by accepting the job to lead the CHP.
The president said the CHP took its fight to Parliament, recalling how supporters of Özel occupied the parliamentary hall allocated for the CHP to prevent Kılıçdaroğlu supporters from entering. “They turned their backs on the one they fervently applauded. The folk hero of yesterday is now the public enemy,” he said, referring to the Özel camp’s criticism of Kılıçdaroğlu, who unsuccessfully ran against Erdoğan in the 2023 presidential elections.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday that he is likely to hold a one-on-one meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump during the NATO summit scheduled to take place in Ankara on July 7-8.
Speaking to reporters after a parliamentary group meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Erdoğan said a bilateral meeting with Trump was “highly likely” on the sidelines of the summit.
President Trump confirmed last week that he plans to attend the gathering in the Turkish capital, telling reporters during an event for the newly commissioned Air Force One aircraft, “I will be going to Türkiye soon.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also said Trump would attend the Ankara summit, describing it as one of the most significant meetings in the alliance’s history.
The visit would mark Trump’s first official trip to Türkiye since beginning his second term in office.
Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO members for insufficient defense spending and has called for a more balanced distribution of security burdens within the alliance. His administration has argued that Europe should take a leading role in defending the continent while the United States reduces some of its long-standing military commitments.
Those debates are expected to feature prominently in Ankara.
The July 7-8 summit will be NATO’s 36th leaders’ meeting and the second NATO summit hosted by Türkiye after the 2004 Istanbul summit.
Preparations are being made for the needs of the at least 6,000 people who will attend the summit.
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