Politics
Erdoğan reaffirms Türkiye’s commitment to Ukraine peace, backs talks
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday reiterated Türkiye’s determination to support a just and lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia, highlighting the country’s ongoing role as a mediator in the conflict.
In a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Erdoğan underlined Ankara’s commitment to advancing peace efforts through diplomacy and expressed satisfaction with the recent prisoner exchange, which was agreed upon during previous talks held in Istanbul, the Presidency said on X.
Erdoğan noted that Türkiye remains in favor of continuing the dialogue process that began in Istanbul. He emphasized that hosting a second round of negotiations in the same city, with strong delegations from both sides, would help sustain the momentum toward peace.
“A possible cease-fire discussed during the upcoming talks would lay the foundation for a lasting solution,” Erdoğan reportedly said during the call, adding that Türkiye stands ready to support these efforts in any way possible.
The president also stressed the importance of elevating the talks to the leadership level after the interdelegation meetings conclude, saying such a step would further strengthen the peace process and should not be delayed.
President Zelenskyy later confirmed the call on social media, describing it as “good and very substantive.” He thanked President Erdoğan and the Turkish people for their principled support of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
“We spoke about the first meeting in Istanbul. The POWs exchange was an important achievement of that meeting, but unfortunately, the only one,” Zelenskyy said. “A ceasefire is necessary in order to move forward toward peace. The killings must stop.”
He added that discussions included the conditions under which Ukraine would agree to participate in a second round of talks in Istanbul, stressing that such a meeting “cannot and should not be empty.” The two leaders also explored the potential organization of a four-party summit involving Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and the United States at the leadership level.
Since the outbreak of the war, Türkiye has maintained close contact with both Kyiv and Moscow, offering to host negotiations and facilitating humanitarian agreements, including the Black Sea grain corridor and several prisoner swaps.
Erdoğan’s call with Zelenskyy comes amid renewed international focus on diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, as the toll of the war continues to grow. Türkiye, which maintains strong relations with both countries, is widely viewed as a key actor capable of bridging gaps and encouraging dialogue.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday was received by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a visit to Kyiv.
On May 16, Russia and Ukraine held their first direct talks in three years in Istanbul, where the two sides notably agreed to a large-scale exchange of prisoners involving a total of 1,000 people from each side.
Bulgaria will hold yet another election on April 19. The eighth vote in six years is crucial for the Turkish community in the Balkan country. Associations founded in Türkiye by the Bulgarian Turkish community with dual citizenship seek to promote voting among the community.
Şükrü Ar, chair of Balkan Turks Culture and Solidarity Association (BALTÜRK), told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they attached importance to voting for fair representation of Turks in the Bulgarian Parliament. Ar noted that turnout decreased in subsequent elections, as people were tired of having one after another since 2020. “The turnout dropped as low as 30%. None of the governments winning the elections managed to be lasting. Coalition governments collapsed repeatedly,” he lamented.
Ar said on Wednesday that Bulgaria also limited the number of ballot boxes for elections in countries outside the European Union, citing a recent amendment to electoral laws. He said people were still willing to vote.
“As BALTÜRK, we will be working intensely on that day, but we have already planned what needs to be done beforehand to encourage our people and get them to the polls. We will have shuttle services in coordination with our Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality,” he said, referring to the city where the association is based and host to a community with dual citizenship.
“We will hold one-on-one meetings. We will encourage voting. We will provide all kinds of assistance to our citizens. If necessary, we will transport them in personal vehicles. We will meet all their needs,” he said.
Ar, noting that electronic voting is used in Bulgarian elections, said they would also provide assistance to voters for this process.
Touching upon the fact that most people have dozens or even hundreds of relatives still living in Bulgaria, Ar said: “Our relatives living there, and the Turkish and Muslim community living there, have acquired rights, and there are more rights that need to be acquired. The stronger we stand in Türkiye, and if we go to the ballot box to cast our vote without saying ‘it’s just one vote,’ our Turkish and Muslim community living in Bulgaria, who use their acquired rights and need to reclaim even more, will be stronger. They will feel our support better. Therefore, we must absolutely go to the polls.”
Ragıp Çavuş, one of the dual citizens, stated that he has voted in all Bulgarian elections and noted that every single vote is important for both protecting existing rights in Bulgaria and gaining new ones.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan invited Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to the upcoming NATO and COP31 summits in Ankara while highlighting strong cooperation potential in defense, energy and aviation, the Presidential Communications Directorate said Wednesday.
In a phone call with Carney, Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye places great importance on advancing ties with Canada and pointed to significant opportunities for cooperation, particularly in the defense industry, energy and air transportation sectors.
He also reaffirmed Türkiye’s continued efforts to ensure peace and stability in the region, noting that Ankara and Ottawa share aligned views on many global and regional issues.
The Turkish president expressed Ankara’s intention to host Carney for an official visit before the end of 2026, according to the statement.
Türkiye will host the leaders’ summit of the alliance for the second time in more than two decades. Heads of state and top figures from member countries will be in the capital Ankara for the summit scheduled to be held on July 7-8. Some 6,000 participants are expected to attend the event.
The European Commission said Thursday that Greece must investigate allegations that its police used masked migrants to forcibly push back other migrants toward the Turkish border, following a report by the BBC.
Commission spokesperson Magnus Brunner told reporters in Brussels that the EU executive was aware of the claims but stressed that examining such allegations falls under the responsibility of the member state concerned.
“It is for member states to investigate these reports, establish all the facts and ensure that appropriate action is taken in case of any violations,” Brunner said, adding that the commission did not have additional information on the specific case.
He underlined that while the management and protection of the EU’s external borders is primarily the responsibility of member states, it must be carried out in line with EU law and fundamental rights obligations.
Brunner also noted that border management operations are supported by Frontex, the bloc’s border agency, and financed through EU instruments, emphasizing that such activities must always respect fundamental rights.
The comments followed a report published on April 14 by the BBC, which said it had uncovered evidence suggesting that Greek police recruited migrants to assist in pushback operations targeting other migrants attempting to cross into Greece.
According to the report, internal police documents indicated that the practice may have taken place with the knowledge of senior officials. Witnesses cited in the report alleged that migrants were subjected to abuse, including beatings, theft and mistreatment, and that such practices may have been ongoing since at least 2020.
Allegations of pushbacks involving Greek authorities and Frontex have been widely reported since 2020, drawing criticism and prompting investigations in Brussels. Previous reports, supported by witness testimonies, video footage and satellite imagery, have documented incidents in which migrant boats in the Aegean Sea were intercepted, damaged or forced back toward Turkish waters.
Despite past inquiries concluding that safeguards to prevent fundamental rights violations were insufficient, allegations of pushbacks have continued to surface.
“Pushback” is a controversial and illegal practice, but Greece has repeatedly engaged in it, according to reports by human rights organizations monitoring migrant flow into Greece that escalated in the past decade.
Many boatloads of migrants attempt to make the dangerous sea crossing to reach the Greek islands from the Turkish coast, hoping to eventually make their way to prosperous European Union countries.
Others attempt to enter Greece by crossing the Maritsa (Meriç) River that runs along the land border between the two countries.
The Mediterranean Turkish city of Antalya will host the three-day Antalya Diplomacy Forum, an annual event that brings together heads of state and other top officials from around the world.
The forum is a hallmark of Türkiye’s rising role in global affairs and comes at a time of tensions in the Middle East. It will be an occasion for talks between the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan for efforts to prevent the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz and proposals to ensure a lasting cease-fire between the U.S. and Iran. Pakistan has positioned itself as a key mediator in the process. Officials said a second round of talks between Iran and the U.S. could take place in Islamabad “very soon” at Pakistan’s invitation, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is expected to visit Türkiye after Saudi Arabia, while Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will also host his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt for talks on a cease-fire and the situation in Hormuz. The diplomatic push follows a two-week cease-fire secured last week after weeks of escalating hostilities. Iranian authorities say more than 3,300 people have been killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes since Feb. 28. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, Iraq, Jordan and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets before the cease-fire took effect. Despite the pause in fighting, officials say the situation remains fragile, with renewed negotiations seen as critical to preventing further escalation.
Distinguished guests
The forum will be a showcase of Türkiye’s alliances. More than 20 heads of state and more than 40 ministers confirmed participation. Among them are Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Sharif, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Libyan Prime Minister of the National Unity government Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Nechirwan Barzani of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Serbian Prime Minister Duro Macut, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Moldova’s Maia Sandu and Turkish Cypriot President Tufan Erhürman.
As for diplomats, the forum will be among the rare occasions where foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine, currently engaged in a war, attend the same event. Elsewhere, Qatar, Türkiye’s key ally in the Gulf, will be represented by Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein and Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi are among the ministers attending the forum. Top diplomats from Uzbekistan, Sudan and Kyrgyzstan will also participate in the event.
The annual event will mark its fifth edition at a time of raging conflicts in the region and talk of a “new order” with major shifts in ties. This year’s theme is fittingly “Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties.”
At the forum, Türkiye aims to highlight its vision for diplomacy and peace as Ankara has raised its profile as a key mediator in conflicts in recent years.
With Israel’s aggressive expansionism threatening to further destabilize the region, from the Gulf to Syria and Iran, Türkiye promotes itself as an oasis of stability. The forum will be a platform for Ankara to showcase this vision, discussing sharpening the foresight for future challenges and efficient ways to address those issues.
Türkiye is engaged in a diplomatic blitz on multiple fronts, from the Russia-Ukraine conflict to the U.S.-Israel-Iran war. Under the leadership of Erdoğan, the country seeks a mediator role in conflicts threatening the region and the international community while striving to remain neutral. Over the past two decades, it has become a key actor in international affairs, utilizing its location as a bridge between Europe and Asia and its ability to maintain dialogue with opposite sides of conflicts. This was most evident in its mediating role between Russia and Ukraine. It is the only country that managed to preserve good ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. As for the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, the country balances its ties with NATO ally the U.S. and its eastern neighbor Iran successfully as it yearns to bring the sides to the negotiation table.
The Turkish Parliament will establish a parliamentary commission to investigate school attacks following a deadly shooting in Kahramanmaraş, with all parties agreeing to jointly address security concerns and prevent future incidents.
The decision came after lawmakers called for a pause in ongoing legislative discussions in the General Assembly following the attack at a middle school in Kahramanmaraş.
Nine people were killed, and at least 20 others were injured after a student aged about 13 opened fire in Ayşel Çalık Middle School in Kahramanmaraş. The fatal attack took place just one day after another shooter wounded 16 people and then killed himself in a school in the Şanlıurfa province a day earlier.
Deputy Speaker Pervin Buldan suspended the session for 10 minutes to hold consultations with party representatives after opposition groups urged lawmakers to prioritize the issue.
Following the break, the parliament resumed its work and agreed to carry out a comprehensive, cross-party effort to examine the causes of school violence and strengthen safety measures. The commission is expected to be formally established next Tuesday.
Lawmakers emphasized that the issue requires a multidimensional approach, including legal, psychological and social aspects, as well as the role of families and social media.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) officials said all political groups reached a common understanding to address the matter, noting that Parliament will conduct an in-depth review and develop proposals to enhance student safety across the country.
School shootings in Türkiye had been rare until this week. In May 2024, a former student killed a private high school principal in Istanbul with a firearm five months after he was expelled.
Türkiye has strict gun laws that require licensing, registration, mental and criminal background checks, and severe penalties for illegal possession.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Hungary’s incoming Prime Minister Peter Magyar discussed the future of bilateral ties and regional and global issues in a phone call, Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said Tuesday.
The leaders reviewed bilateral ties, with Erdoğan stating that relations between the two countries draw strength from “our shared history and culture,” according to a statement by the directorate.
He expressed confidence that cooperation between Türkiye and Hungary, both bilaterally and on international platforms, will advance further in the coming days.
Erdoğan also emphasized the importance of strengthening their existing strategic partnership.
He said the two countries aim to deepen cooperation and highlighted that their NATO alliance, which both countries are members of, contributes to “regional and global peace.”
During the call, Erdoğan also congratulated Magyar on his success in Sunday’s elections.
After Magyar’s Tisza party took a wide lead over incumbent Viktor Orban in Sunday’s elections, according to election officials, Orban conceded defeat, saying: “We will serve our nation from the opposition.”
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