President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made statements and answered journalists’ questions aboard the plane on his return to Türkiye following his visit to Azerbaijan.
President Erdoğan stated that he had visited Shusha at the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and congratulated Azerbaijan on its Victory Day.
President Erdoğan also extended his congratulations to Azerbaijan on the occasion of State Flag Day, observed today, recalling that he had attended the parade held in Baku last year to mark the fifth anniversary of Victory Day.
President Erdoğan noted that their visit to Shusha had once again demonstrated Türkiye’s solidarity with Azerbaijan and conveyed a message of unity and solidarity.
Emphasising that Türkiye and Azerbaijan are two brotherly countries bound by unbreakable ties, President Erdoğan said, "Despite the efforts of those seeking to sow discord, we have crowned our cooperation with mega-projects in numerous strategic areas, particularly energy, transport and infrastructure."
President Erdoğan stated that they aimed to further strengthen solidarity between the two countries through new initiatives and continued:
"We discussed all these matters during my meeting with my brother Ilham. We also discussed recent regional developments. During my visit, I witnessed first-hand the development initiatives being undertaken in Karabakh under the leadership of my brother Ilham. As Türkiye, we are providing every possible form of support for the development of Karabakh, just as we did for its liberation. We were pleased to establish the Türkiye-Azerbaijan International Forestry Training Centre and Nursery Facility in Karabakh. Inshallah, we also plan to inaugurate our school next year, which, with its 40 classrooms, two laboratories and a library, will serve as a model educational institution. Türkiye and Azerbaijan are two brotherly states that stand united as one in times of joy and sorrow alike, facing every challenge together. With Allah's permission, no one can cast a shadow over the affection, solidarity and brotherhood between us. Through today's visit, we have once again demonstrated this truth to the entire world. I hope that our visit will bring further blessings to the brotherhood and solidarity between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, and I once again thank my brother Ilham for his gracious hospitality."
Speculation surrounding Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations
Commenting on speculation surrounding Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations, President Erdoğan said that the solidarity between the two countries, guided by the principle of "one nation, two states", had been evident at the commemoration in Karabakh.
"I embraced my brother Ilham Aliyev warmly, and we were delighted to be reunited. Those seeking to drive a wedge between Türkiye and Azerbaijan are engaged in a futile endeavour," President Erdoğan said, emphasising that Türkiye and Azerbaijan enjoyed complete solidarity, a shared destiny and bonds of brotherhood.
President Erdoğan stated that they would together make the strong voice of the Turkic people heard across the region and the world and build a prosperous future together, adding, "Those seeking to drive us apart fail to take into account the affection between our peoples, our historical ties and our unwavering resolve. Inshallah, Türkiye and Azerbaijan will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder for the peace, stability and prosperity of their region."
"We are firmly bound together by the bonds of brotherhood"
Pointing out that the unity between Türkiye and Azerbaijan was, above all, a source of discomfort to certain quarters, President Erdoğan said that one only needed to look at history to see what Türkiye, Azerbaijan and the other Turkic states could achieve when acting together.
"We are separate states. We also have different institutional structures. Yet we are firmly bound together by the bonds of brotherhood. These bonds are among the most important foundations of our strength and resilience," President Erdoğan said.
Underscoring that this brotherhood was one of the strongest guarantees of their shared history, common culture and the profound legacy they would leave to future generations, President Erdoğan said, "Those who realise that they cannot undermine us without first weakening these bonds may seek to damage our unity and solidarity. We must be particularly vigilant and alert to such schemes."
Stressing the need not to give credence to disinformation and maintain direct, sincere and open channels of communication on all matters, President Erdoğan said, "I particularly emphasised this point at the Organisation of Turkic States Summit in Ankara, saying, 'There is no room for division, separation or discord in the family photo of the Turkic world. We are one, we stand together, and, Inshallah, we will remain brothers for all eternity, just as we have been since time immemorial.' For it is unity, not division, that befits us; it is togetherness that befits us."
The US and Iran
Commenting on tensions between the US and Iran, President Erdoğan said:
"We do not want to see a new wave of attacks launched against Iran or our region plunged into further instability. We have consistently maintained that problems can be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. Unfortunately, we are once again seeing developments moving in a negative direction. We make every effort to prevent this. I discussed these issues with US President Donald Trump and conveyed our concerns. We have informed the parties that we stand ready to step in to open the door to peace and diplomacy."
Expressing hope that common sense would prevail, President Erdoğan said that further conflict would only mean further losses for the region.
President Erdoğan noted that the costs of war were borne not only by the parties to the conflict, but also by a vast geographical area, stretching from Türkiye to the Gulf countries, from Iraq to Syria, and from Europe to Asia.
A journalist reminded President Erdoğan that representatives of the US, Ukraine and Russia were expected to meet in Abu Dhabi on 10–11 November and asked: "Will you hold talks or have any contact with Mr Putin ahead of this critical meeting, and what outcome do you expect from the negotiations in Abu Dhabi? You recently met with Zelenskyy. Could we be entering a new phase in efforts to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end?"
"We are making intensive efforts to bring this war to an end. We also appreciate and support Mr Trump's efforts," President Erdoğan said, emphasising that Türkiye had maintained its commitment to a resolution and to peace since the beginning of the war, despite the criticism it had faced.
President Erdoğan continued:
"Remember the reactions from Europe in the past when we maintained our relations and contacts with both countries at war. We faced a great deal of criticism, ranging from accusations of circumventing sanctions to allegations that we were failing to fall into line. We said: 'We stand for a just peace in this conflict.'The wisdom of our fair approach is even more evident today. Today, we continue to say: 'This bloodshed must now stop. Türkiye has demonstrated time and again its willingness to shoulder responsibility. We have discussed these issues with Mr Putin on numerous occasions, and we will do so again. As you know, we spoke with Mr Zelenskyy last week, and we will speak again. We remain in contact with Mr Trump, European leaders and all parties concerned. The negotiating framework we established in Istanbul, our grain corridor initiative and the role we played in prisoner exchanges are unparalleled examples of Türkiye's pivotal role in efforts to achieve peace. As Türkiye, we stand ready, whenever necessary, to make İstanbul the centre of negotiations once again and to employ the full range of instruments of human-centred diplomacy. We remain hopeful. “We are now much more hopeful about the prospects for peace.”
"Climate change is a challenge of today and, unless action is taken, an even more serious challenge for tomorrow"
Asked by another journalist about his expectations for COP31, hosted by Türkiye, President Erdoğan said that the conference would provide an opportunity for Türkiye's vision on climate change to be better understood by a wider audience.
Emphasising that they never merely went through the motions when addressing any issue, President Erdoğan stated:
"When we tackle a problem, we develop concrete, sustainable solutions and set out our roadmap. Climate change is a challenge of today and, unless action is taken, an even more serious challenge for tomorrow. Let us not forget that the world is our home, and we have no right to pollute it. In Antalya, we will discuss the most concrete steps to safeguard humanity's shared future. At COP31, we are not simply bringing leaders together to deliver speeches and issue declarations. Our aim is to turn this summit into a platform that delivers tangible results and where countries translate their commitments into action, because the time has come to act, rather than make promises that remain on paper. We attach great importance to what we call 'climate justice'. Our agenda will cover a wide range of issues, from raising awareness across all sectors to green industrialisation, and from resilient cities to practical climate action.
“The Cyprus issue is a national cause that we will continue to pursue until justice is served.”
Asked about Türkiye's expectations in the near future and the steps that could be taken in the coming period regarding the recognition of and support for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, in light of the messages and appeals made at the Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States and on numerous international platforms, President Erdoğan made the following remarks:
“We will never leave the Turkish Cypriot people alone and helpless. The whole world must know this and remember it well. For us, the Cyprus cause is not merely a matter of foreign policy. We do not regard the absence of a settlement in Cyprus as a solution, and we firmly support a two-state solution. Our position on Cyprus is also absolutely clear and unequivocal. It is now time to acknowledge the reality that there are two distinct peoples and two separate states on the Island. Models that have been tried repeatedly and thwarted each time through various manoeuvres are a waste of time and energy. I invite all countries, particularly our friends and brotherly nations, to recognise the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and establish political, diplomatic and economic relations with it in support of lasting peace on the Island of Cyprus. As I stated from the United Nations rostrum, the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people must be formally recognised, and the inhumane isolation imposed on them must finally come to an end.”
Emphasising that Türkiye would continue to take steps in line with this call in the coming period, President Erdoğan said: “We will continue to stand by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on international platforms. Steps and projects aimed at increasing the visibility of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will continue. The Cyprus issue is a national cause that we will continue to pursue until justice is served. Everyone must now recognise this fact.”