Politics
Erdoğan says to speak with Trump on Ukraine peace, Gaza
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday said he was going to discuss the Ukraine peace process with U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on Monday.
“I will discuss the Ukraine peace process, as well as the Palestinian issue with Mr. Trump in a phone call on Monday evening,” Erdoğan told reporters in Istanbul following Friday prayers.
He assured he was in touch with Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as European leaders on the issue and said Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan would represent him at a meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing”, a group of nations backing Ukraine, in Paris in coming days.
As it enjoys good diplomatic ties with both Moscow and Kyiv, Türkiye has been one of the major international players seeking a halt to the conflict, which is nearing the four-year mark.
Erdoğan also condemned Israel’s continued blocking of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live in tents and temporary shelters amid a severe lack of safe shelter supplies, after Israel’s two-year war destroyed entire residential areas and forced mass displacement.
Most tents lack basic safety measures, making them vulnerable to fires, especially as people rely on primitive means for heating and cooking due to power outages and severe fuel shortages.
The Israeli army has killed more than 71,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others in Gaza since October 2023.
“Suffering of children in Gaza, living in makeshift tents amid wind and rain will not go unanswered, won’t go unaccounted to Netanyahu,” said Erdoğan, a virulent critic of the Israeli premier since the start of the Gaza war.
He said Türkiye wants to send containers of life-saving aid to Gaza but “Israel won’t let us.”
“We are nevertheless determined to help Palestinians out of their hardship,” Erdoğan added.
Türkiye’s Embassy in Manama announced Friday it will organize bus services for Turkish citizens wishing to leave Bahrain after the country closed its airspace following Iran’s retaliatory actions against U.S. and Israeli attacks.
In a statement, the embassy said buses will transport Turkish nationals from Bahrain’s capital Manama to Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh, allowing them to depart the region via Riyadh’s international airport.
The journey by road is expected to take approximately six to seven hours, the embassy said, adding that citizens planning to travel must obtain a Saudi Arabia visa online prior to departure in accordance with current regulations.
Turkish nationals who wish to cross from Bahrain into Saudi Arabia are required to register through a link shared by the embassy. Detailed information about the bus services will be sent to the email addresses provided during registration.
The embassy also advised citizens to remain prepared for possible disruptions during travel and noted that conditions in the region may change rapidly. Citizens were urged to follow the embassy’s official social media accounts regularly for updates and further announcements regarding the evacuation arrangements.
Tensions have surged in the Middle East after the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran starting Feb. 28, and have since killed almost 1000 people, Iranian top leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and at least 165 schoolgirls.
Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks across Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. forces, including Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE.
Over 400 ballistic missiles and 1,000 drones have been launched since the war began, targeting civilian airports, shipping ports, energy facilities and military bases.
Türkiye, meanwhile, has intensified diplomatic contacts with regional and international partners in recent weeks as tensions and security concerns continue in parts of the Middle East and surrounding regions.
The Foreign Ministry led the diplomatic efforts since the first day of the war, discussing the latest developments and possible steps to halt the attacks.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also reiterated that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalın had contacts with their counterparts and Türkiye was closely watching the developments.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday condemned what she described as an “unjustifiable missile attack” against NATO ally Türkiye after Turkish authorities intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran.
Meloni expressed solidarity with Türkiye during a phone call with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as the two leaders discussed escalating tensions in the Middle East, the Italian prime minister’s office said in a statement.
According to the statement, Meloni conveyed Italy’s support for Türkiye following the incident and reiterated Rome’s concern over developments that risk further destabilizing the region.
The missile, fired from Iran on Wednesday and passing through Iraqi and Syrian airspace, was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense units deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, according to the Defense Ministry. No injuries were reported.
Following the missile incident, several organizations and states condemned the attack and voiced solidarity with Türkiye, including NATO, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Spain, the UAE, Albania, Belgium and Pakistan.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, on Thursday denied that Tehran had targeted Türkiye with a missile and said Iran has no reason to attack its neighbor, stressing that relations between the two countries remain strong.
NATO allies have stepped up the alliance’s ballistic missile defense posture after intercepting a missile launched from Iran toward Türkiye’s airspace, the alliance’s military headquarters said Thursday.
The posture will remain at the heightened level until the threat from Iran’s “continued, indiscriminate attacks across the region subsides,” Colonel Martin O’Donnell, spokesperson for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, said in a post on the social media platform X.
Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday that a ballistic munition launched from Iran and directed toward Turkish airspace was detected after crossing Iraqi and Syrian airspace.
The projectile was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense units deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Türkiye summoned Iran’s ambassador to Ankara to convey a formal protest and expressed deep concern over the incident. Officials stressed any steps that could expand ongoing conflicts or further destabilize the region must be avoided.
Iran’s armed forces on Thursday denied claims that a missile had been launched toward Türkiye, saying they respect the country’s sovereignty and had not fired any missiles at Turkish territory.
O’Donnell said NATO had “perfectly executed” its missile defense in Türkiye on Wednesday.
“In less than 10 minutes, NATO service members identified a threat to allies, a ballistic missile, confirmed its trajectory, alerted land- and sea-based missile defence systems and launched an interceptor to defeat the threat and protect our territory and its people,” he said.
Türkiye, Iran’s neighbor that had sought to mediate U.S.-Iran talks before the air war that began at the weekend, warned “all parties to refrain from actions that would lead to further escalation,” suggesting it was not poised to call upon the trans-Atlantic defence bloc for support.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte earlier on Thursday said the alliance does not plan to trigger its Article 5 mutual defense clause over the attack.
Rutte did not go into detail when asked about an increased defence posture in the alliance.
Later on Thursday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Ankara showed its “sensitivity,” and issued the “necessary warnings” to prevent a similar incident from reoccurring.
“Should a threat to our country’s security arise, we will take all necessary measures with the utmost care in coordination with our allies,” he said.
Erdoğan warned that the Middle East war had taken tensions in the region to a “terrifying level” that could spread further.
U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran starting Feb. 28, killing over 900 people, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 165 elementary schoolgirls, according to Iranian authorities.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel and U.S.-linked sites in Gulf countries, disrupting energy routes.
NATO member Türkiye said Thursday it remains committed to regional stability but reserves the right to respond to hostile actions regardless of their origin, after a ballistic missile launched from Iran toward Turkish territory was intercepted by NATO air defenses.
The missile, fired from Iran on Wednesday and passing through Iraqi and Syrian airspace, was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense systems deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, according to Turkish officials.
Fragments that fell in the Dörtyol district of Hatay province after the interception belonged to an air defense missile used in the operation. No casualties were reported.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi following the interception.
According to Foreign Ministry sources, Fidan conveyed Türkiye’s reaction to the incident and stressed the importance of avoiding steps that could escalate tensions or trigger a wider regional conflict.
Iran on Thursday rejected accusations that it launched a ballistic missile toward NATO-member Türkiye.
The Iranian General Staff of the Armed Forces said Türkiye’s accounts of a missile fired toward Turkish territory were false and were “firmly rejected.”
Iran’s armed forces respect the sovereignty of neighboring and friendly country Türkiye, the statement said.
On Wednesday, Türkiye said a NATO defense system intercepted a ballistic missile in its border region. Part of the interceptor missile fell in an open area in the province of Hatay. No injuries were reported.
It remains unclear what the Iranian missile’s intended target may have been.
The New York Times, citing U.S. military officials, reported that the projectile may have been aimed at the key NATO air base in Incirlik.
Türkiye has largely remained neutral in the war with Iran. However, U.S. troops are stationed in the country. The NATO air base is located in Incirlik in the southern Turkish province of Adana.
According to U.S. figures, around 1,500 military personnel are stationed there. The base is considered an important military hub in the region.
Since the war began on Saturday, Iran has repeatedly attacked U.S. interests in the region, including military bases and diplomatic missions.
Deterrence capability
The missile incident came as Turkish leaders emphasized the need to maintain strong defense capabilities amid rising regional tensions.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday that Türkiye must continue strengthening its military deterrence to maintain peace and stability, stressing that the country’s status as an “island of stability” in a volatile region depends on the strength of its armed forces and defense capabilities.
He said authorities are taking comprehensive measures to protect Türkiye’s borders and airspace amid current tensions. Erdoğan added that Türkiye coordinated closely with NATO to address the missile incident and prevent similar events in the future.
The president said Türkiye had maintained its course despite embargoes and external pressures and remains determined to strengthen its capabilities while avoiding developments that could undermine national security.
“We will leave this country to our children as a nation they can be proud of,” Erdoğan said, pledging continued efforts to enhance Türkiye’s defense capacity and national resilience.
PJAK move
The Defense Ministry sources also said Ankara is closely monitoring the escalating tensions caused by the attacks by Israel and the United States, emphasizing that regional problems can only be resolved through dialogue and peaceful means. They reiterated that Türkiye is ready to contribute to efforts aimed at a solution.
Türkiye is also closely watching the activities of the PJAK, the Iranian branch of the PKK terrorist group, the sources said, noting that the group’s actions threaten Iran’s security and regional stability.
The statement followed reports of discussions between the PJAK and the U.S. about the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
On Tuesday, sources told Reuters that the PJAK had consulted with the U.S. about whether and how to target Iranian security positions in the western part of the country.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S., the U.K. and the EU and has been responsible for more than 40,000 deaths.
In May, the group announced its dissolution and the end of its four-decade terror campaign that cost tens of thousands of lives in Türkiye as well as in Iraq and Syria.
In Syria, the PKK operates through its local offshoot, the YPG, which has been allied with the U.S. for more than a decade under the pretext of fighting Daesh terrorists. Washington’s support for the group has been a source of tension with Ankara, which has repeatedly urged its NATO ally to cut ties with the PKK/YPG.
The YPG agreed to integrate into the new Syrian army following clashes in northern Syria earlier in January.
The ministry sources also said no unusual activity or troop buildup had been observed along the Türkiye-Iran border despite the ongoing conflict between Iran and the U.S.-Israel alliance, adding that all necessary precautions have been taken at the highest level.
Türkiye must continuously strengthen its military deterrence to ensure peace and stability, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, arguing that the country’s ability to remain an “island of stability” in a volatile region depends on the strength of its armed forces and defense capabilities.
Speaking about regional security challenges amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran war, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s stability is rooted in its national character and the deterrent power of the Turkish Armed Forces. He emphasized that Ankara is committed to further strengthening the military through sustained investment and support.
Erdoğan noted that Türkiye recently achieved record levels in defense and aerospace exports and that the Turkish Armed Forces received praise from allies during a NATO exercise in Germany. He added that such achievements would not have been possible if Türkiye had listened to critics who opposed missile testing and military development.
The president also said authorities are taking comprehensive measures to protect the country’s borders and airspace amid current tensions. He noted that Türkiye coordinated closely with NATO to address the incident involving a missile launched by Iran heading toward Türkiye and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye has maintained its course despite embargoes and external pressures, saying the country remains determined to strengthen its capabilities and avoid traps that could undermine national security.
“We will leave this country to our children as a nation they can be proud of,” he said, pledging continued efforts to enhance Türkiye’s defense capacity and national resilience.
A ballistic projectile fired from Iran and heading toward Turkish airspace was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense elements deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday.
The speaker of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Parliament said Thursday that rising tensions in the Middle East and growing military cooperation between the Greek Cypriot administration and its Western partners are placing the island at greater risk, accusing the Greek Cypriot administration of “attempting to take on more than it can handle.”
Speaking on a local television program, TRNC Assembly Speaker Ziya Öztürkler said the latest regional developments marked the beginning of a new phase for the Eastern Mediterranean and underscored the need for a stronger TRNC.
“The Greek Cypriot administration has attempted to take on tasks beyond its capacity,” Öztürkler said, referring to the Greek Cypriot alignment with Israel and Western powers during the escalating conflict between Iran and a U.S.-Israel coalition.
Regional tensions surged after the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on Saturday, triggering retaliation by Tehran on U.S. military targets across the region.
Öztürkler said the involvement of the United Kingdom, which maintains two sovereign military bases on the island, alongside the U.S. and Israel, had heightened the risk of the island of Cyprus being drawn into the conflict.
British facilities on the island, particularly the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri, have played an important logistical role in Western military operations in the Middle East in recent years. Iranian forces have warned that installations linked to Western operations could become targets if regional hostilities escalate.
“The rising tensions could fundamentally alter regional balances,” Öztürkler said. “The United Kingdom siding with Israel and the United States through its bases, and the Greek Cypriot administration’s cooperation with Israel, place the island directly at risk.”
The TRNC leadership has held a series of security meetings in response to the crisis, he added, focusing on crisis management, coordination with Türkiye and the preparedness of civil defense mechanisms.
Officials have reassessed emergency planning and civil protection measures to ensure the safety of residents, he said.
Öztürkler argued that recent developments had again highlighted the importance of the presence of Turkish troops on the island and Türkiye’s role as a guarantor power under the framework established after the island’s division in 1974.
“The importance of Turkish troops and Türkiye’s guarantor status has once again become clear,” he said, calling them a fundamental pillar of the TRNC’s security policy.
Cyprus has remained divided for more than five decades between the Turkish Cypriot north and the Greek Cypriot south despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the U.N. to achieve a comprehensive settlement. The TRNC was established in 1983 and is recognized only by Türkiye, while the Greek Cypriot administration represents the island internationally and joined the European Union in 2004.
Turkish officials and leaders in Turkish Cyprus have increasingly advocated a two-state solution to the dispute, arguing that decades of United Nations-led negotiations for a federal settlement have failed to produce results.
Öztürkler said recent geopolitical developments were further reinforcing the “two-state reality” on the island.
“The reality of two states on the island is becoming increasingly clear,” he said, adding that the TRNC should take new steps to strengthen its international legitimacy and visibility.
The speaker also referred to recent talks in Ankara, where he met Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler. The meetings focused on parliamentary cooperation as well as regional security issues.
Öztürkler said the discussions highlighted the close ties between Türkiye and Turkish Cyprus and emphasized continued coordination between the two sides as tensions in the Middle East reshape security dynamics across the Eastern Mediterranean.
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