Politics
Armenian PM’s visit signals possible breakthrough in Türkiye ties
In a significant step toward easing decades of tension, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is set to visit Türkiye on June 20 at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Yerevan announced Wednesday.
The planned visit marks the first time an Armenian prime minister will travel to Türkiye for talks at this level, a milestone in the fraught relationship between the two neighbors who have long been locked in political and historical disputes.
Alen Simonyan, speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly, described the upcoming trip as “historic,” highlighting its potential to reshape the dialogue between the two countries with a complicated past.
The announcement follows a recent visit to Ankara by Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan on Monday. Kostanyan met with Turkish counterpart Ambassador Berris Ekinci to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues, both governments said, signaling ongoing efforts in the normalization process between the two nations, which currently lack formal diplomatic ties.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev is also expected to visit Türkiye on Thursday for the “250,000th Disaster Housing Key Delivery and Lottery Ceremony” in Kahramanmaraş, a city hit by the 2023 quake. The “Together for Stronger Tomorrows” event will feature the handover of homes built through cooperation between the Azerbaijani government and the Housing Development Administration of Türkiye (TOKI). Erdoğan will also attend.
The visit by Pashinyan comes amid cautious optimism following a June 5 phone call between the Armenian and Turkish leaders. During the conversation, Erdoğan and Pashinyan reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue, continuing a fragile process toward rapprochement that began in recent years.
Pashinyan last visited Türkiye in June 2023 to attend Erdoğan’s presidential inauguration – marking the first official visit by an Armenian leader to Türkiye since 2009. That year, then-President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia and President Abdullah Gül exchanged visits, with Gül’s trip to Yerevan remaining the only official visit by a Turkish president to Armenia.
The two countries share a complex history. Türkiye recognized Armenia’s independence in 1991, but relations soured amid the First Karabakh War, when Armenia and Azerbaijan clashed over the disputed region. In 1993, Türkiye severed diplomatic and commercial ties with Armenia, and the border between the two countries has remained closed ever since.
The Second Karabakh War, which ended in 2020, reignited hopes for renewed dialogue. In 2021, Ankara and Yerevan appointed special representatives tasked with normalizing relations and negotiating the reopening of their land border. So far, limited agreements have allowed third-country citizens and diplomats to cross, but a full reopening remains elusive.
Despite these hurdles, there have been tentative gestures toward cooperation. The Margara border crossing has been used twice in recent years for humanitarian purposes: in February 2023 to deliver Armenian aid trucks following a devastating earthquake in southeastern Türkiye, and in March 2024 for humanitarian aid shipments to Syria via Türkiye. Armenia has also upgraded the crossing in anticipation of future use.
Still, deep-seated political and historical disagreements persist. Türkiye’s support for Azerbaijan during the 2020 war remains a source of tension and the legacy of unresolved issues, including those linked to historical grievances, complicate efforts at reconciliation.
As Pashinyan prepares for his historic visit, hopes for progress are tempered by caution. Both sides have expressed commitment to dialogue, yet no concrete roadmap has emerged to resolve their longstanding disputes.
Regional observers will closely watch the upcoming meeting in Ankara, which they view as a potential turning point in a relationship marked by conflict and mistrust.
Türkiye on Thursday marked the 10th anniversary of a car bombing in central Ankara, one of the deadliest attacks carried out by the PKK terror group during a wave of urban violence in 2015-2016.
The March 13, 2016, attack targeted bus stops in the capital’s busy Kızılay district, where a car packed with explosives was detonated at Güvenpark, killing 36 people and injuring 344 others.
Among those killed were four children. Thirty-two children were also among the wounded.
Authorities said the vehicle was detonated by PKK members Seher Çağla Demir and Özgür Ünsal. The attackers were killed in the explosion.
One of the victims was an unborn baby carried by six-month pregnant Songül Yılmaz, who was injured in the blast. The baby was later described as the youngest victim of the attack.
The bombing came after the PKK launched a violent campaign in several southeastern districts, including Şırnak, Silopi, Cizre, Nusaybin, Derik, Idil, Sur and Yüksekova, where militants dug trenches, erected barricades and declared so-called “autonomous zones.”
Security forces responded with operations to restore control in those areas. After failing to sustain the campaign, the group carried out the Güvenpark bombing targeting civilians waiting at bus stops in the capital.
Perpetrators brought to justice
Following the attack, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation that led to an indictment against 55 suspects, including senior PKK figures. The trial began on June 19, 2017, and concluded on Nov. 21, 2018, at an Ankara court.
Mehmet Veysi Dolaşan received 37 aggravated life sentences for the killing of 36 victims and for attempting to undermine the unity and territorial integrity of the state. He was also sentenced to an additional 10,260 years in prison for the attempted murder of the 344 people injured in the blast, along with further prison time and a fine for explosives-related offenses.
Two other defendants, Sebahattin Karakoç and Azamattin Karakoç, were also given aggravated life sentences.
In a separate trial concluded in November 2020, Ferit Ak and Salih Şahin were each sentenced to 15 years in prison for knowingly aiding the terrorist group.
The Güvenpark bombing remains one of the most devastating attacks in Ankara’s recent history and a stark reminder of the PKK’s campaign of violence targeting civilians in Türkiye.
Major PKK attacks
The PKK terrorist group has carried out numerous deadly attacks in Türkiye over the past decades, targeting both security forces and civilians as part of its terror campaign that began in 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed since then.
Türkiye first sought a political solution to the PKK issue in the early 1990s under then-President Turgut Özal, who promoted a civilian approach and explored greater rights for the country’s Kurdish community. His outreach contributed to a brief PKK cease-fire, but the effort faltered after renewed attacks and Özal’s death in 1993.
The violence continued until PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s capture in 1999. A second peace initiative began in 2012, known as the reconciliation process, during which the government expanded cultural and language rights. The process collapsed in 2015, after which the PKK resumed attacks, prompting intensified Turkish counterterrorism operations at home and across the border.
The following year saw back-to-back PKK attacks across Türkiye, many involving explosives targeting security forces and civilians.
In January 2016, militants attacked a district police headquarters in the Çınar district of Diyarbakır with a truck bomb, rockets and gunfire, killing at least six people, including civilians and children, and wounding dozens.
Two months later, in March 2016, a car bomb targeting an armored police vehicle near a bus terminal in Diyarbakır killed seven police officers and injured 27 people, including civilians.
In May that year, a bomb-laden truck detonated in the Durumlu area of Diyarbakır after civilians intercepted the vehicle suspected of carrying explosives. The blast killed 16 people and wounded more than 20.
The attacks continued through the summer. In August 2016, a suicide car bomb struck a police checkpoint outside district headquarters in Cizre, in the southeastern province of Şırnak, killing 12 police officers and injuring dozens.
Later the same month, a car bomb targeting a police station in Elazığ killed at least six people and wounded more than 200 others.
In October 2016, another large car bomb targeted a military facility in the district of Şemdinli in Hakkari province, killing soldiers and civilians and injuring dozens more.
PKK disarmament
Today, Türkiye is working to bring a permanent end to PKK terrorism with its “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, first conceived in October 2024 by government ally Devlet Bahçeli, who extended an olive branch to Öcalan should he urge his terror group to lay down arms.
After Öcalan appealed to his group last year, the PKK formally disbanded, withdrawing all members from Turkish soil and even holding a symbolic ceremony in northern Iraq where a group of PKK members burned their weapons.
In Ankara, a cross-party parliamentary commission last month published a key report meant to prepare the legal groundwork to advance the process, backing plans to reintegrate former PKK members. Ankara has repeatedly ruled out amnesty for Öcalan or PKK terrorists, with officials saying the legal framework would only consider integration for PKK members who have not engaged in terrorist activities.
The report is expected to be put before Parliament sometime this month, likely after the end of Islam’s holy month of Ramadan. If it passes, it will be the first concrete step taken by Türkiye.
Good Party (IP) leader Müsavat Dervişoğlu said decisions regarding any potential alliances would be discussed within the party’s internal decision-making bodies when the appropriate time comes.
“Decisions about whether to form alliances or not are not something I would decide alone,” Dervisoglu told journalists during an iftar dinner with reporters in Ankara on Wednesday evening.
He responded to the comments, stressing, “Issues concerning my party and my country should be discussed and decided within the party’s authorized institutions.”
Remarks by the leader of Türkiye’s nationalist Victory Party (ZP) about a possible election alliance with the Good Party have sparked renewed debate in Turkish politics over the possibility of a broader nationalist bloc ahead of future elections.
ZP leader Ümit Özdağ said Tuesday during an interview with Turkish media that his party was open to forming an alliance with the IP, describing such cooperation as “perhaps the most natural alliance in Turkish politics.”
Özdağ said both parties’ supporters favored closer political cooperation, raising speculation about whether nationalist-oriented opposition parties could coordinate their strategies in upcoming elections.
Dervisoglu also noted the IP has not held formal alliance talks with any political party since Türkiye’s 2023 elections.
He also acknowledged that opinion polls showing the party’s support at around 8% to 9% would not be sufficient under Türkiye’s current political system.
“Nine percent does not benefit either us or Türkiye,” he said, arguing that the country’s political system requires either winning the presidency or building a parliamentary majority strong enough to govern effectively.
Dervisoglu said the IP aims to become a political platform capable of bringing together different segments of society, describing the party as a potential “umbrella” under which other political groups could gather.
Asked about public trust in the opposition, he said skepticism was not limited to opposition parties.
“This nation does not distrust only the opposition; it does not fully trust the government either,” he said, adding that voters may still be searching for a political leadership they can place their confidence in.
The comments of the leaders have fueled discussions about whether nationalist parties in Türkiye could cooperate more closely in future elections.
The ZP and IP have overlapping political stances, although the ZP stood out with its more hawkish tone, especially in anti-refugee policies that led to an indictment against its chair, Özdağ, on charges of inciting riots against Syrian refugees in Türkiye.
Özdağ was detained last year initially over accusations that he “insulted” the president, but the scope of the investigation was later expanded to include charges of inciting public hatred and hostility.
Moreover, Özdağ was later formally arrested and charged with inciting hatred against migrants. He was blamed for anti-Syrian refugee riots in the central province of Kayseri, during which hundreds of homes and businesses were attacked.
In the 2023 elections, Özdağ endorsed Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the candidate of a six-party opposition bloc against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, while the ZP won 2.2% of the vote in legislative elections where it jointly ran with the Justice Party under the ATA Alliance. In last year’s municipal elections, it won only 1.74% of the vote.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Thursday she will travel to Türkiye in the coming days to meet Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan for talks on the escalating conflict in the Middle East and efforts to reduce tensions.
Anand said at a news conference that she will be “emphasizing and pushing on the needs of Canadians in the region, as well as the need for de-escalation and the protection of civilian lives and civilian infrastructure.”
Her remarks came as Canada announced new humanitarian funding for Lebanon.
Randeep Sarai, Canada’s secretary of state for international development, said Ottawa is providing $37.7 million in assistance to support urgent humanitarian needs.
Canada is working with “trusted humanitarian partners, including Canadian NGOs, such as Humanity and Inclusion Canada, Oxfam Quebec, International Medical Corps Canada, U.N. agencies and the Red Cross to ensure this life saving assistance goes directly to those who desperately need it,” he said. “We call on all actors to immediately de-escalate the situation and engage in constructive dialogue to prevent further suffering. The people of Lebanon deserve safety, dignity and a future free from violence.”
The escalation in the Middle East flared since Israel and the U.S. launched a joint attack against Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,300 victims to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and over 150 schoolgirls.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets, killing at least eight U.S. service members and injuring 140.
On March 2, the Lebanese resistance group, Hezbollah, began attacking Israeli military sites in response to repeated Israeli attacks against Lebanon and the killing of Khamenei in a U.S.-Israeli strike.
Israel retaliated by launching a military campaign against Lebanon, carrying out airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs and areas in the south and east. On March 3, it began a limited ground incursion in southern Lebanon.
Türkiye and Germany are expected to discuss strengthening bilateral ties, expanding trade and addressing regional crises during talks between Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his German counterpart Johann David Wadephul, who will visit Ankara this week, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
Wadephul will hold talks in Ankara on March 12 with Foreign Minister Fidan as the two NATO allies seek to deepen cooperation in political, economic and security fields.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources, the discussions are expected to highlight the momentum gained through recent high-level visits between the two countries and the importance of maintaining close dialogue.
Fidan is also expected to underline the significance of the third meeting of the Türkiye-Germany Strategic Dialogue Mechanism, scheduled to take place in Berlin on May 18, which aims to further strengthen the multidimensional relationship between the two countries.
Economic cooperation will also feature prominently in the talks, with Türkiye seeking to expand trade with Germany toward a $60 billion bilateral trade target. Officials are expected to discuss continued collaboration through mechanisms such as the Joint Economic and Trade Committee and the Energy and Mining Forum.
Defense industry cooperation and broader security issues are also set to be addressed during the meeting.
Fidan is expected to stress the importance of the European Union adopting a strategic approach toward relations with Türkiye and voice Ankara’s expectation that Germany support the revival of Türkiye’s EU accession process.
Türkiye will also convey its expectations regarding key issues in relations with the EU, including the modernization of the Customs Union and progress in the Visa Liberalization Dialogue.
On European security initiatives launched by the EU, Fidan is expected to emphasize that such efforts should be coordinated under NATO and include the participation of allied countries that are not EU members.
The Turkish minister is also expected to underline the importance Ankara attaches to the welfare and security of the approximately 3.5 million people of Turkish origin living in Germany, whom Türkiye views as a bridge between the two countries.
Regional developments are also expected to be high on the agenda, including the situation in Gaza and the broader Palestinian issue, the Russia-Ukraine war and the latest developments in Syria.
According to the sources, Fidan is expected to stress that attacks in the region are endangering energy supply security while also creating risks in areas such as migration and counterterrorism.
Türkiye is also expected to reiterate that diplomacy remains the only viable path to reducing tensions and resolving conflicts in the region.
Türkiye and Germany maintain a multifaceted relationship covering political, economic, military and parliamentary cooperation. Germany remains one of Türkiye’s largest trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching $52.2 billion in 2025.
Around 6.7 million German tourists visited Türkiye in 2025, while the large Turkish community in Germany continues to serve as a key link between the two nations.
Türkiye condemned Israel’s attacks on Lebanon that have displaced nearly one million people, calling them a grave violation of international humanitarian law and warning that the assaults are deepening regional instability.
In a statement published Thursday, the Foreign Ministry said Israel’s actions demonstrate an expansionist approach that is further destabilizing the region.
Ankara also warned that the Netanyahu government should not be allowed to continue in Lebanon the destructive policies it has pursued in Gaza.
Türkiye reaffirmed its solidarity with Lebanon, saying it will continue to stand with the Lebanese people and government against attacks that threaten the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for an urgent return to diplomacy to halt the escalating conflict involving Iran and the U.S., warning that the war risks causing widespread damage across the region and the global economy.
Speaking at a parliamentary group meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) at the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM), Erdoğan said Ankara has intensified diplomatic contacts with countries involved in the conflict as well as regional actors.
“We have established contacts with Iran, the U.S. and other relevant countries in the region. I have held more than 20 phone calls,” Erdoğan said. “This war must be stopped before it escalates further. If diplomacy is given a chance, it is possible to achieve this.”
He added that Türkiye is continuing diplomatic initiatives to help revive negotiations and prevent further escalation in the Middle East.
“We speak very carefully, choose our words with great care and act cautiously. We are taking the necessary precautions against bloody scenarios,” he said.
Erdoğan stressed that the Middle East has been facing a series of crises and conflicts for years, warning that the latest escalation has further destabilized the region.
“For a long time, crises and conflicts in our region have not ceased. Before existing conflicts end, new ones are added every day,” he said. “Most recently, the war launched against our neighbor Iran, following Israel’s provocations, has caused serious destruction.”
Reminding that the conflict has already taken a heavy toll, including 175 schoolgirls at an elementary school, almost 2,000 people, and senior Iranian officials and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, he warned that the economic impact could be felt globally. “The attacks against Iran are also creating serious pressure on the global economy,” Erdoğan said.
“The entire world is preparing to pay the price of this war.”
The Turkish leader emphasized that Türkiye would not remain indifferent to crises in its region and would continue to take an active role in seeking solutions.
“As Türkiye, we are not a country that remains indifferent to crises around us or turns its back on friends and brothers in difficult times,” he said.
Türkiye has recently intensified diplomatic contacts with regional and international partners as fighting in the Middle East raises concerns about the risk of a broader regional conflict and its potential impact on the country’s security.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Monday to discuss the latest developments following the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran and the broader regional conflict.
Erdoğan also held a separate phone conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the same day to discuss the latest developments following attacks on Iran and the broader regional conflict.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also held a series of phone calls with counterparts from several countries to discuss the escalating crisis.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Fidan spoke separately with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun.
The discussions focused on the risks posed by the ongoing war and attacks affecting third countries.
Most recently, in another call on Tuesday, Fidan told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that any violation of Turkish airspace was unacceptable and said Türkiye would continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard its security.
Furthermore, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler also held a phone call with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani.
The two officials discussed bilateral defense cooperation and regional security developments, according to a statement from the Turkish Defense Ministry.
Unity in the region
The president also warned against attempts to inflame sectarian divisions in the region, saying such debates were harmful and should be avoided.
“Today, we are witnessing sectarian tensions being fueled on social media. Bringing these issues to the agenda again is not a coincidence,” he said.
Reaffirming Türkiye’s stance on regional peace, Erdoğan underlined Ankara supports the territorial integrity of all countries in the Middle East and seeks lasting stability.
“We stand for lasting peace in the Middle East,” he remarked. “We respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. We have no ambitions regarding the lands or sovereignty of any country.”
At the beginning of the meeting, the president also expressed hope that the gathering would bring positive outcomes for the country, the nation and democracy.
Thanking party members and guests for their participation, he also conveyed greetings to the AK Party organization working across Türkiye’s 81 provinces under the slogan “Everything for Türkiye,” as well as to the party’s 11.5 million members, delivering a message of unity and solidarity.
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