Politics
Serbia’s Vucic meets Erdoğan in ‘golden age’ of ties
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Ankara on Thursday, as the two leaders discussed bilateral ties and a range of regional security issues, underscoring deepening cooperation between the Balkan neighbors.
Talks between Erdoğan and Vucic focused on strengthening friendly relations, as well as steps to support regional peace and stability. According to Turkish officials, discussions covered developments in the Balkans, the Russia-Ukraine war, the situation in Gaza and recent developments in Iran.
Ankara has emphasized the importance of enhancing regional solidarity and cooperation in the face of shared challenges, highlighting diplomacy and dialogue as central tools for stability.
The leaders also reviewed efforts to expand cooperation in areas including the defense industry, which has become an increasingly prominent component of bilateral ties. Officials said both sides assessed the outcomes of joint initiatives aimed at broadening collaboration across strategic sectors.
Moreover, economic relations have shown significant growth. Trade volume between Türkiye and Serbia rose by 35% in 2024 compared with the previous year, reaching $3 billion.
The two presidents have set a target of increasing bilateral trade to $5 billion.
Turkish direct investments in Serbia have also expanded sharply, rising from $1 million 12 years ago to $405 million. Turkish companies operating in Serbia employ approximately 10,000 people, according to official data.
During Erdoğan’s visit to Serbia on Oct. 11, 2024, the fourth meeting of the High-Level Cooperation Council was held under the co-chairmanship of the two presidents, reflecting the institutionalization of bilateral ties.
Vucic has previously expressed a desire to build the strongest possible relations with Türkiye, describing current ties as a “golden age” in relations between the two countries.
Thursday’s summit was seen by officials as a significant step in reinforcing diplomatic and economic bonds, as well as contributing to broader regional stability at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
Serbia is regarded as one of Türkiye’s key partners in the Balkans, and relations between the two countries have expanded in recent years through frequent high-level contacts and growing economic engagement.
Germany is hosting NATO’s largest exercise of the year, Steadfast Dart 26, with Türkiye emerging as the biggest contributor among participating allies.
The drills, which began in January and will run through March, bring together approximately 10,000 troops from 10 European countries. Türkiye deployed around 2,000 personnel, traveling some 6,450 kilometers (4,010 miles) to take part in the exercise.
Gen. Ingo Gerhartz, commander of NATO’s Joint Force Command in the Netherlands and director of the exercise, praised the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) for what he described as the most significant contribution to this year’s maneuvers.
“Türkiye’s contribution cannot be emphasized enough,” Gerhartz told BBC Türkçe, highlighting the deployment of the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu, which docked at the German port of Emden with its accompanying task force and ground units. He added that the Turkish military made “by far the largest contribution” to Steadfast Dart 26.
Gerhartz also underscored the broader meaning of the drill, saying, “The fact that these countries are sending troops to Central Europe is a strong indication of unity within the alliance and that every inch of NATO territory will be defended if necessary.” He described the exercise as a clear demonstration that allied forces are ready to move rapidly and operate together across land, sea and air domains.
As part of its NATO commitments, Türkiye assumed command of the Amphibious Task Force and the Landing Force Command within the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) on July 1, 2025. In addition to TCG Anadolu, Türkiye sent the logistics support ship TCG Derya and the frigates TCG Istanbul and TCG Oruçreis to participate in the naval components of the drill.
Elements of the 66th Mechanized Infantry Brigade also joined the exercise, with images of Turkish soldiers posing alongside Turkish-flagged armored vehicles in Germany widely shared.
Steadfast Dart 26 focuses on the rapid deployment capabilities of the ARF, a multinational force established in 2024 to enhance deterrence and ensure swift reinforcement of NATO territory in times of crisis.
Türkiye and Nigeria share a common vision on counterterrorism and other key issues across Africa, Turkish Ambassador to Abuja Mehmet Poroy said during an interview on Thursday.
“Nigeria is critically important to any country pursuing an Africa-focused policy,” Poroy said while speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), citing its role as West Africa’s “leading” country, the largest economy in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the fourth-largest on the continent, with a population surpassing 230 million.
According to Poroy, Abuja holds particular importance for Ankara as both nations confront similar security threats. Nigeria continues to battle terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP, mirroring Türkiye’s long-standing fight against various terrorist organizations.
Ankara remains committed to supporting Nigeria by sharing expertise, resources and capabilities, the ambassador said, highlighting ongoing cooperation against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) as a key pillar of the partnership.
“Nigeria’s stability is vital not only to West Africa but to the entire continent,” he stressed.
Describing the relationship in strategic terms, Poroy said Türkiye and Nigeria are “two countries that play strong, game-changing roles in their respective regions.”
Talks during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s first-ever visit to Türkiye focused on enhancing cooperation across multiple sectors, particularly security and counterterrorism, “areas where Nigeria is most in need of cooperation at the moment,” he said.
Tinubu’s Jan. 27 visit, which followed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s trip to Nigeria in October 2021, underscored both governments’ “strong will” to advance ties. Nine agreements were signed, spanning security, education, and trade, with an emphasis on swift implementation for mutual benefit.
“We can say that we have entered a new phase in military cooperation, with closer coordination expected,” Poroy said, noting Ankara’s readiness to bolster Nigeria’s counterterrorism capacity.
Emphasizing Ankara’s “win-win” approach in Africa, he said it prioritizes respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty while opposing external interventions, a stance closely aligned with Nigeria’s commitment to “African solutions to African problems.”
Both governments recently took a joint position against Israel’s recognition of Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland, issuing statements in support of Mogadishu, including within the framework of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), he added.
“Türkiye’s stabilization efforts in Somalia are also highly valued by Nigeria, and that support carries particular weight given Nigeria’s standing as one of the continent’s leading nations,” Poroy said.
Support for Abuja’s leadership within ECOWAS, particularly in promoting democracy and regional peace, remains firm, he added, voicing backing for intensified dialogue and cooperation across West Africa.
During Erdoğan’s 2021 visit to Nigeria, three memorandums of understanding were signed in energy, mining and hydrocarbons, establishing a legal framework for cooperation. Working groups have since convened to develop models expected to translate into concrete projects.
Rich in solid minerals, Nigeria aims not only to extract resources but also to process them domestically, the ambassador said.
“Türkiye can share its capabilities in this area with Nigeria, and we expect concrete steps to be taken soon,” he added.
Significant potential also exists in electricity production and distribution. Turkish companies already operating in Nigeria are expanding their footprint, while interest in the country’s oil and natural gas sectors continues to grow amid efforts to deepen engagement.
A key outcome of Tinubu’s visit was the signing of a joint statement establishing the Joint Economic and Trade Cooperation Committee (JETCO), designed to remove trade and investment barriers, Poroy said.
Growing Turkish investment in Nigeria’s infrastructure sector is expected to accelerate through larger-scale projects, supported by agreements to prevent double taxation and promote and protect investments.
The $5 billion bilateral trade target remains central to the economic agenda.
“With JETCO becoming operational, we expect our bilateral trade, which is currently around $1 billion, to increase toward the $5 billion target,” Poroy said.
“We are eager to deepen our political ties and sustain comprehensive consultations on bilateral and regional issues.”
Tufan Erhürman , the president of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said Thursday that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pledged to maintain more frequent contact following their recent meeting, calling the move a significant step in ongoing diplomatic engagement.
Speaking at a press conference at Ercan Airport, Erhürman evaluated his Feb. 11 meeting with Guterres in New York, noting that it was their first face-to-face meeting.
He recalled that after being elected president, he sent a letter responding to Guterres’ congratulatory message, expressing his wish to arrange a meeting at the earliest possible time. Noting that Guterres responded faster than expected, Erhürman said they held a meeting lasting about one hour and 10 minutes on Feb. 11.
“First and foremost, we intended to once again convey our people’s will for a solution to the secretary-general. We did so. Secondly, from the very beginning of the meeting process, we put on the table our four-point methodology proposal, which we had shared with the public and the international community long before the election period,” Erhürman said.
“Various discussions and comments were made about this four-point methodology. We had the opportunity to explain face-to-face what these points mean for us and what exactly we intended with them,” he added.
As a third issue, he said he conveyed his views on confidence-building measures discussed in Geneva and New York and “taken over by us, as well as additional proposals presented by both us and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides.”
Erhürman reiterated his view that meetings in the 5+1 format are not well suited for discussing confidence-building measures, which should instead be finalized during talks between the two leaders in Lefkoşa (Nicosia), the TRNC’s capital.
He said he observed no decline in Guterres’ interest in developments related to the island, adding that the secretary-general continues to closely monitor all progress.
Erhürman noted that the meeting, lasting nearly twice as long as planned, also demonstrated Guterres’ level of interest.
He said he briefed Guterres on proposals for new crossing points between the TRNC and the Greek Cypriot Administration. He emphasized that Guterres promised more frequent contact, though the format, whether in-person or otherwise, was not yet decided.
Erhürman added that past developments had weakened trust and communication between the sides. In addition, he said he explained that agreements the Greek Cypriot administration concluded with various countries on security and energy matters were also factors reducing trust, as they largely exclude Turkish Cypriots and Türkiye.
He stressed that these agreements concern areas involving Turkish Cypriots’ sovereign rights – including security, maritime jurisdictions, hydrocarbons, energy, trade routes and European Union citizenship – and therefore undermine confidence.
Erhürman said the secretary-general emphasized that a solution, stability and peace in Cyprus would contribute to lasting regional stability and peace and that he would therefore continue to follow the issue closely.
He also said he held a lengthy phone call the same evening with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, during which they discussed the meeting, and Fidan briefed him on the Türkiye-Greece dialogue process.
Erhürman-Guterres meeting
Erhürman met Guterres in New York on Feb. 11.
The meeting took place in a positive atmosphere, according to a statement from the TRNC Presidency.
The talks addressed current and regional developments, primarily the Cyprus issue. Erhürman conveyed his previously announced four-point methodology for the solution process and the latest developments regarding confidence-building measures.
The TRNC president also emphasized that the unjust and unlawful isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people must be lifted without further delay.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday underscored deepening economic and defense ties between Türkiye and Serbia amid regional and global uncertainties, as they signed a joint declaration to boost bilateral cooperation.
Meeting in Ankara, the two leaders voiced satisfaction with the progress achieved under the High-Level Cooperation Council, established in 2017, and highlighted its role in advancing relations through four meetings held to date.
In a joint declaration adopted following the talks, the sides welcomed the rise in bilateral trade to $3.5 billion in 2025 and stressed the importance of taking coordinated steps to reach the new $5 billion target. They agreed to convene the next meeting of the Türkiye-Serbia Joint Economic Commission at the earliest opportunity, describing it as the backbone of economic and trade relations.
The leaders reaffirmed their determination to expand cooperation across a wide spectrum, including foreign policy, trade, defense industry, culture, tourism, education, energy, transportation, connectivity, advanced technologies and environmental issues.
They reiterated their commitment to boosting defense industry collaboration, in line with understandings reached during the fourth High-Level Cooperation Council meeting held in Belgrade in October 2024.
Erdoğan and Vucic also underlined the importance of EXPO 2027 in Belgrade for regional economic growth and cooperation and expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the first two meetings of the Balkan Peace Platform, held on July 26, 2025, and Jan. 23, 2026.
The two leaders welcomed the steady increase in mutual tourist numbers, noting its contribution to closer ties between the two nations, and praised Turkish construction firms for their successful infrastructure projects in Serbia, particularly in transportation and energy.
They pledged to accelerate efforts toward agreements strengthening the legal framework in advanced technologies and education and to enhance cooperation in civil aviation, culture and tourism.
Reaffirming their readiness to continue cooperation in bilateral and regional platforms to strengthen peace and stability in the Balkans, Erdoğan and Vucic emphasized the importance of regular high-level visits in further deepening ties and agreed to hold the next council meeting at the earliest opportunity.
In a joint news conference, Erdoğan said that Türkiye is working to ensure peace and stability in its region and beyond “at a time of rising global uncertainty,” stressing that Ankara “never neglects the Balkans.” The president emphasized regional engagement and highlighted Turkish efforts to promote peace and stability across the Balkans alongside broader diplomatic initiatives.
He said the two leaders assessed the impact of ongoing developments on their relationship and discussed next steps.
“At a time of rising global uncertainty, Türkiye is working to ensure peace and stability in our region and beyond, and we never neglect the Balkans,” he stressed.
During their talks, he noted that they also discussed how to maintain Balkan stability and strengthen regional economic development.
He also announced that Türkiye will participate in EXPO 2027, which Serbia will host in Belgrade, expressing confidence that the event will provide additional opportunities to strengthen economic, commercial, and cultural ties.
Erdoğan acknowledged Serbia’s strong interest in learning Turkish, saying institutions such as the Yunus Emre Institute and the Türkiye Maarif Foundation are working to meet that demand.
He said they also discussed development projects in the Sandzak region, which he described as a bridge of friendship between the two countries, and noted that Türkiye closely follows initiatives aimed at fostering growth there.
Erdoğan congratulated the Muslim community in Serbia on the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.
He also highlighted Türkiye’s efforts to promote regional ownership-based initiatives, citing the second meeting of the Balkan Peace Platform hosted in Istanbul on Jan. 23, 2026, and thanked Vucic for his personal support for the platform.
Erdoğan described Vucic’s visit as highly valuable for advancing peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
Serbian president hails Erdoğan’s leadership, backs stronger bilateral cooperation
For his part, Vucic praised Erdoğan’s leadership and voiced support for deeper economic, political, and security cooperation between the two countries.
“When I speak to you, I do so with the utmost respect, as a great leader, not only of Türkiye, but also of the region and indeed a leader with global influence,” he said, noting that the issues discussed and conclusions reached were “very important.”
Vucic said Türkiye is “an extremely important partner for Serbia,” highlighting its political weight as well as its role in the economy, defense industry, and technology.
Turkish influence in economic, military, technological fields
He emphasized that although Serbia is smaller in size, it highly values Türkiye’s political importance and its influence in economic, military and technological fields.
He underlined that Turkish companies are investing in various parts of Serbia, particularly in less developed southern regions, creating job opportunities.
He said some in Serbia may not fully recognize the scale of Turkish investments in less developed regions, especially in the south, where companies are contributing to employment and development.
The Serbian leader also referred to major infrastructure projects involving Turkish public institutions and private firms, including road and railway developments, and expressed hope that Erdogan’s next visit to Serbia would be his largest ever, with “very important agreements” to be signed.
He said the two sides discussed numerous infrastructure projects in detail, including highway and railway developments, and expressed hope that agreements related to a key highway project would soon be signed to help resolve transportation challenges.
Balkan Peace Platform
“I strongly support President Erdoğan’s Balkan Peace Platform initiative,” Vucic said, adding that regional cooperation is “extremely important.”
He said he would gladly accept an invitation to participate in future meetings under the Balkan Peace Platform, describing the initiative as vital for preserving regional stability.
According to him, bringing together people and economies across the Balkans is essential for long-term peace and prosperity.
He also said the two sides discussed activating a joint committee that will have an intensive agenda in the coming months, noting that further frameworks for parliamentary friendship groups are expected to be established.
For the first time, he said, the leaders discussed cooperation in military and technical fields, including collaboration between their armed forces. Strengthening such cooperation could help preserve peace and ensure a better future for both nations, he added.
Vucic thanked Türkiye for agreeing to participate in EXPO 2027 to be hosted by Serbia, calling the decision important for expanding economic and cultural ties.
He described Erdoğan as an “experienced and wise leader” who knows how to contribute to peace, and said Serbia, as a sovereign and independent country, respects leaders who seek to preserve stability.
Vucic thanked Erdoğan for his hospitality and reiterated that Serbia looks forward to hosting him soon for what he hoped would be a landmark visit.
Türkiye and Syria have agreed to create a round-the-clock communication and coordination mechanism aimed at strengthening institutional cooperation and countering disinformation, Presidential Communications Deputy Director Ferhat Pirinççi said Thursday.
A Turkish delegation, including Ambassador to Damascus Nuh Yılmaz and senior officials from the Directorate of Communications, met with Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mustafa in the Syrian capital to discuss joint efforts and institutional cooperation in the field of communication.
Following the meeting, Yılmaz said Syria has recently gone through a critical period after years of internal conflict and has been exposed to intense disinformation campaigns, particularly during its fight against the PKK terrorist organization and in relation to developments in the coastal region and Sweida.
He noted that Türkiye has long faced similar disinformation campaigns and has developed significant experience and capacity in this field.
The two sides comprehensively evaluated how to better align their positions in combating disinformation, including through training programs, institutional capacity building and joint working mechanisms.
Pirinççi described the visit of a broad Turkish delegation as an important step and said one of the most significant outcomes of the talks was the decision to establish a continuous and clear coordination mechanism between the two institutions.
He added that the planned mechanism will facilitate regular communication, mutual exchange of experience and closer cooperation in areas such as combating disinformation, media perception management, public diplomacy and crisis communication.
Türkiye condemned Israel’s actions in the occupied Palestinian territories, specifically its actions in the West Bank, warning that recent decisions could undermine prospects for a two-state solution.
Speaking during the Turkish Defense Ministry’s weekly press briefing on Thursday, spokesperson Zeki Aktürk criticized Israel for ongoing cease-fire violations despite moving into the second phase of a Gaza peace plan.
Israel has faced global condemnation after its Security Cabinet approved measures on Sunday aimed at changing the legal and civil framework in the occupied West Bank to strengthen Israeli control, with several leaders describing it as a step toward de facto annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory.
Aktürk said Ankara condemned Israel’s decisions aimed at imposing a new legal and administrative status on the occupied West Bank following widespread destruction and attacks in Gaza. He stressed that such measures constitute a clear violation of international law and risk damaging ongoing efforts toward a negotiated settlement. “We once again emphasize that we will continue to support the Palestinian people’s efforts to establish an independent and sovereign state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Aktürk said.
The Arab League held an emergency meeting on Wednesday in Cairo to discuss recent Israeli measures aimed at expanding illegal settlement activity and tightening its control of the occupied West Bank.
A statement after the meeting said the Arab League Council urged U.S. President Donald Trump to fulfill his pledge, as part of his efforts to achieve peace, and to take “practical and clear” steps to prevent Israel from annexing the occupied West Bank.
The council said any annexation of Palestinian land constitutes a war crime, expressing its support for the Palestinians’ right to full sovereignty of their state on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital and including its holy sites.
According to Israeli media, the measures include repealing a law that barred the sale of land in the West Bank to illegal Israeli settlers, unsealing land ownership records, and shifting authority for building permits in a settlement bloc near Hebron from a Palestinian municipality to Israel’s civil administration.
Developments in Syria
To a question, the spokesperson said Türkiye is closely monitoring the implementation of the Jan. 30 agreement between the Syrian government and the terrorist group YPG. “We continue to closely follow on the ground the implementation of the agreement signed between the Syrian government and the YPG on Jan. 30,” Aktürk said.
Last Tuesday, Syrian security forces entered the city of Qamishli under a “comprehensive agreement,” which includes a cease-fire and a phased integration deal with the YPG that was reached in late January to end the state of division in the country and lay the groundwork for a new phase of full integration. The Syrian Army launched an operation against the YPG on Jan. 16 in areas west of the Euphrates River. The operation later expanded east of the river with the participation of tribal forces, leading to most of the territories previously occupied by the group coming under government control.
Russian drone crash
Following the briefing, the Defense Ministry also issued a statement on yet another drone incident off Türkiye’s Black Sea coast. On Wednesday, authorities discovered parts of a drone off the coast of the Ünye district of Ordu province. Local media initially reported that it was loitering munitions of Iranian origin, but the ministry said on Thursday that it was likely a Russian drone and did not contain “any explosives.”
Several drones and unmanned maritime vehicles have been shot down or discovered crashed in recent months on Türkiye’s Black Sea coast and cities far from the coast. Authorities say it is a spillover of the raging conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as most of them were found to be of Russian or Ukrainian origin.
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