Politics
Leaders, ministers talk and seek peace in Türkiye’s diplomacy event
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.
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 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.”
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday held phone calls with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Iraq’s Fouad Hussain.
Sources from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in the call with Abdelatty, Fidan discussed developments in the U.S.-Iran cease-fire negotiations. The conversation focused on the current state of cease-fire talks and preparations for another round of negotiations in the coming days.
The two ministers exchanged views on the negotiation process and the agenda expected to be addressed in future discussions, as diplomatic efforts continue to secure a lasting cease-fire in the Middle East.
With Hussain, Fidan discussed bilateral ties and regional developments, sources said. Fidan on Monday hailed the “sincerity” of the U.S. and Iran on achieving a cease-fire. However, he warned that Israel may disrupt the process. Fidan also pointed out Israel’s emerging “state strategy” of finding “new enemies” in the region, such as Türkiye. The minister has been at the forefront of Türkiye’s peace diplomacy, contacting relevant parties to achieve a cease-fire in the US-Israel-Iran war.
Türkiye’s top diplomat led a diplomatic blitz by Ankara to mediate the conflict. This week, he will attend a quadrilateral meeting with foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in southern Türkiye.
Syria’s president met with a top commander of the U.S.-backed YPG terrorist group on Tuesday as part of ongoing talks aimed at integrating the group into state institutions, an official announced.
Ahmed al-Hilali, a senior Syrian official and spokesperson for the integration process, said a series of meetings were held in Damascus between President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syrian officials on one side, and YPG leader Ferhat Abdi Şahin, code-named Mazloum Kobani, on the other.
Al-Hilali told Syria TV that the discussions focused on the latest developments in an agreement reached between the government and the YPG, as well as steps to advance the integration process.
He said Şahin is also expected to hold separate meetings with al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani to review progress, assess challenges and outline the next phase of implementation.
A further meeting between Şahin and presidential envoy Ziad al-Ayesh is also anticipated, though no details about the agenda were disclosed.
“The outcomes of these meetings are expected to accelerate efforts on the ground, particularly in Hassakeh province, where implementation of the agreement is ongoing,” he said.
Previous talks
The latest round of talks follows earlier meetings in early April between al-Ayesh and Abdi in Hassakeh, where the two sides discussed mechanisms for integrating YPG structures into state institutions.
Those discussions also addressed plans to release detainees and transfer control of YPG-run prisons to the Syrian government. In addition, both sides reviewed measures aimed at improving security conditions, including efforts to curb violations attributed to armed groups operating in the region.
The negotiations are part of a Jan. 29 agreement between Damascus and the YPG that includes provisions for the return of displaced people to their homes, as well as arrangements related to detention facilities and administrative integration.
The post-Baathist administration in Damascus moved against the YPG when the latter reneged on an earlier deal for integration into the Syrian army. On Jan. 16, the Syrian army launched an offensive against YPG-controlled areas in northeastern Syria. After days of the offensive, the YPG consented to sign a new deal with Damascus on integrating both “administrative” and “military” structures of the YPG to post-Assad Syria. The terrorist group agreed that Syrian security forces would be deployed in Hassakeh and Qamishli, two key areas occupied by the YPG.
The deal also stipulated a faster integration of armed members of the YPG into Syrian security forces and the creation of a division consisting of three brigades of the YPG.
The YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK terrorist group, neither complied with Türkiye’s terror-free initiative for the disarmament of the PKK, nor with a March 2025 deal for integration with the Syrian security forces. Türkiye is a major supporter of post-Assad Syria and views the YPG as a threat to its own national security. Ankara has hinted that it may resort to a military option in Syria as it did in the past to thwart the YPG’s ambitions, but has repeatedly called for dialogue to resolve the dispute between the YPG and Damascus.
The Ministry of Family and Social Services created a special team after the school attack in Kahramanmaraş.
Europe has ‘maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left’: IEA chief
President Erdoğan invites Canada’s PM Carney to NATO summit in Türkiye
The Ministry of Family and Social Services created a special team after the school attack in Kahramanmaraş.
Europe has ‘maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left’: IEA chief
President Erdoğan invites Canada’s PM Carney to NATO summit in Türkiye
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