“It has become clear once again that Türkiye will have a say in NATO’s future”

Holding a press conference following the NATO Summit, President Erdoğan said: “It has once again become clear at the end of the summit that Türkiye—a NATO member for 70 years, owner of the second largest army in the Alliance and the fifth biggest contributor to its operations and missions—will have a say in NATO’s future as has been in its past and present.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke to reporters following the NATO Summit in Madrid.

“WE NEED TO INTENSIFY OUR DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS FOR A LASTING PEACE”

Noting that NATO has successfully completed one of the most important summits in its history, President Erdoğan said the summit helped the Allies to reaffirm their spirit of unity and solidarity in the face of existing challenges. Thanking NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and his team for the efforts they exerted for the success of the summit, President Erdoğan stated: “Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, we have come together at the leaders’ level for the third time this year, one via video link and the other the meeting in Brussels. The Madrid Summit has served as an important opportunity to analyze the current point we have reached and to develop a vision for future. Our Alliance has full support for Ukraine. However, we should show this support together with a peace vision and should work for the immediate cessation of the humanitarian tragedy, destruction and tears.”

President Erdoğan added: “We need to intensify our diplomatic efforts for the establishment of a lasting peace. President of Ukraine Mr. Zelensky addressed us via video link during the first session of the summit yesterday. I have been in close contact with him since the beginning of the process. As you know, we have been maintaining our regular dialogue with President of Russia Mr. Putin as well. All of these efforts are aimed at taking steps that would pave the way for a lasting peace.”

Pointing out that the loss of lives and the destruction escalate as the conflicts drag on, President Erdoğan stated that the war’s negative implications for the global economy, particularly inflation, are felt by everyone.

Türkiye believes that there is no loser in a just peace, stressed President Erdoğan. “We should further consolidate the hopes that flourished with the Istanbul Process. I am pleased to once again witness that the role which Türkiye plays as an ally that assumes responsibility, speaks with all sides and shares the burden is appreciated in NATO. During our talks here, we explained the efforts we have been exerting since the onset of the war with the aim of minimizing the humanitarian impacts of the crisis and achieving an immediate ceasefire. I shared information about our contributions to the plan for the export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea ports.”

“AS A COUNTRY THAT HAS LOST THOUSANDS OF ITS CHILDREN WE CANNOT TOLERATE ANY MORE STALLING”

“The document that attracted the international community’s attention the most has been the Strategic Concept which we adopted yesterday,” President Erdoğan noted, and said: “This new document, which is to replace the Strategic Concept adopted during the 2010 Lisbon Summit, reaffirms the importance of the principles of unity and solidarity that underpin NATO. It lays out a vision for the Alliance to adapt to the future security atmosphere.

“Türkiye, which celebrates this year the 70th anniversary of its accession to the Alliance and has always acted in line with the spirit of Alliance with its comprehensive contributions to and its effective role within NATO, will no doubt be one of the leading Allies having a say in this vision for future. It is of course important that the Strategic Concept recognizes terrorism, as the most direct asymmetric threat and that NATO displays determination to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. However, this determination should not remain in name alone.

“It is imperative in practice to carry out the fight in solidarity without making a distinction among terrorist organization. I particularly underscored during my addresses at the sessions and bilateral talks how this issue is of great importance to Türkiye. Also, I pointed out that it was not solely our issue, but NATO’s as well. The crime networks that seek to achieve prosperity over the lives of the innocent are the common enemy of all of us. There is not any guarantee that the weapons used against us today will not be used against other allies in the future. History has shown us that such negligence later returns to the involved as deadly threats.

“At this point we all see that if we want to protect the reliability and credibility of NATO, we as the allies have to take clearer, more consistent and more sincere steps in the fight against terror in all its forms. Preventing the financing of terrorism and militant gathering activities is an inseparable part of this fight. As a country, which has been fighting against separatist terror for 40 years and which has lost thousands of its children due to terror, we cannot tolerate any more stalling.”

“WE SEE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AS A SIGN THAT TÜRKİYE’S SENSITIVITIES HAVE BEEN UNDERSTOOD”

President Erdoğan said: “The developments regarding Sweden and Finland’s application for NATO membership have laid bare Türkiye’s red lines on this issue. We have since the very beginning voiced our sensitivities and displayed a constructive but determined stance. On Tuesday, we, together with Finnish President and Swedish Prime Minister, held a quadrilateral meeting facilitated by NATO Secretary General. We see the signed memorandum of understanding as a sign that Türkiye’s sensitivities have been understood. Obviously, this is a start, what really matters is the fulfillment of the promises. In the period ahead, we will rigorously follow the implementation of the issues mentioned in the memorandum of understanding and take our steps accordingly.

“It is wrong to consider diplomacy to be a zero-sum game where a party wins while the other loses. On the contrary, diplomacy should be seen as the shortest and the safest path that will take us to a common denominator. I believe it will be more accurate to assess the memorandum of understanding signed between Türkiye, Sweden and Finland from this point of view. Undoubtedly, this memorandum of understanding is a diplomatic victory for Türkiye and our nation which was achieved as a result of tough negotiation process.”

“The winners of this memorandum of understanding, together with Türkiye and NATO, are the Finnish and Swedish peoples. Any concrete step aimed at combatting terrorism will contribute to the peace, tranquility and security of these countries,” the President noted.

“WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE NECESSARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO NATO IN A SPIRIT OF ALLIANCE”

Drawing attention to the bilateral talks he held with participating heads of state and government on the sidelines of the Summit, President Erdoğan said “During these talks, we mainly discussed the developments in Ukraine and exchanged views on issues related to the Alliance’s agenda. We also held consultations within the framework of our shared agendas. It has once again become clear at the end of the summit that Türkiye—a NATO member for 70 years, owner of the second largest army in the Alliance and the fifth biggest contributor to its operations and missions—will have a say in NATO’s future as has been in its past and present. While pursuing our own independent foreign policy, we will also continue to make necessary contributions to NATO in a spirit of alliance.”

Answering reporters’ questions following his remarks, President Erdoğan, in response to a question regarding Ukraine’s grain export and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attitude towards the issue, said he would speak by phone with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts nowadays, and try to establish a corridor through which these products could be transported to third countries.

Reminded about U.S. President Joe Biden’s statements that F-16s should be sold to Türkiye and that the U.S. administration could gain approval from the Congress on this issue, President Erdoğan noted a delegation from Türkiye had already been to the U.S. the previous week and held talks with both Republicans and Democrats, and that a delegation could be sent again, voicing his belief that President Biden’s sincere efforts would get a significant support for the resolution of the matter.

“SWEDEN AND FINLAND HAVE TO FULFILL THEIR DUTIES”

Asked about the implementation of the trilateral memorandum of understanding on Sweden and Finland’s application for NATO membership, and the path Türkiye would follow should the two countries not take the steps Türkiye demanded, President Erdoğan said: “So long as we do not approve it at our parliament, no progress can be made. First of all, Sweden and Finland have to fulfill their duties, which have already been mentioned in the document. If they fulfill their duties, we will send it to our parliament. However, it is out of the question for us to send it to our parliament unless these duties are fulfilled. As you know, Macedonia were able to join NATO only after 11 plus 9, 20 years. It is not kind of the process that will end like, ‘I want it and I get it.’ Sweden and Finland know it as well, and with this awareness obviously the PKK/YPG/PYD and FETO terrorist organizations must be eradicated. They should complete legal regulations regarding the issue as soon as possible.”

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

Responding to a question regarding the Russia-Ukraine war and Russian President Putin’s statement that Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership would cause tension, President Erdoğan said Türkiye had bilateral relations with both Russia and Ukraine, and therefore it wanted to follow balance policies in politics, not conflict. “I speak by phone with both Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelensky once a week, once every 10 days, and I believe we will get a result from these talks.”

Asked whether Greece’s militarization of the islands in the Aegean had been on the agenda of the Summit and if he had raised the issue during his bilateral meeting with U.S. President Biden, President Erdoğan underscored that Greece’s recent attitude by no means befitted Türkiye’s understanding of politics.

Drawing attention to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ address at the U.S. Congress and in Davos, both of which he noted had reversed the verbal agreement between him and Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis that the bilateral relations would be prioritized and third parties would not be allowed to intervene, President Erdoğan stated: “Pursuant to both the Treaty of Lausanne and the Paris Peace Treaty, you cannot militarize those islands or islets. And there are also these bases built by the U.S. there… When we ask about them, they say the bases are built against Russia. Obviously my nation does not buy it. I mean why are they built? What is the reason? If we are to build a world where peace will prevail, then why are these steps taken? We do not have a positive view on this, and we conveyed this view of ours to our counterparts during our bilateral meetings.”

POSSIBLE OPERATION INTO THE NORTH OF SYRIA                          

Asked about Türkiye’s possible operation into the north of Syria, President Erdoğan said: “We do not conduct an operation that the international community will not comprehend. We conduct operations that the international community will comprehend. Türkiye has significant experience on this issue. Do not worry at all.”