During his return flight from Kyrgyzstan and Hungary, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated that the fight against terrorism will persist unabated, responding to questions from journalists on the agenda.
President Erdoğan stated that the visits were successfully concluded and noted that the first portion of the visit was devoted to the 6th meeting of the Türkiye-Kyrgyzstan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. Announcing that the relationship between Türkiye and the Kyrgyz Republic has been upgraded from a strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership, President Erdoğan informed that during the Council meeting, the two countries signed 19 agreements, including a joint declaration, which encompassed fields such as energy, security, and culture.
President Erdoğan, who was decorated with the Order of Manas, Kyrgyzstan's highest state honour, expressed his heartfelt appreciation to President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan.
Announcing the official inauguration of 110 facilities, artworks, projects, and services at Manas University, President Erdoğan said, "Founded in 1995, our university provides essential services to a student body of nearly 7,000 and a graduate population exceeding 13,000 individuals. The fact that our university was ranked among the top 1000 higher education institutions in the world means a great deal to us."
President Erdoğan mentioned that they availed themselves of this visit to inaugurate the Turkish-Kyrgyz Friendship Hospital, which was constructed with the assistance of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and added, "I am greatly honoured that the Friendship Hospital, which has a capacity of 150 beds, is named after me. I believe that the hospital will serve as a testament to the solidarity and kinship between the two nations."
Noting Kyrgyzstan's significant breakthrough under the strong leadership of President Japarov, President Erdoğan stated, "We are making every effort to offer our Kyrgyz brothers and sisters any assistance we can throughout this process. I am confident that our collective efforts will propel us to unprecedented heights in the future."
President Erdoğan recalled his attendance at the 11th Summit of the Heads of State of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) on the second day of his visit, saying:
"In keeping with the late Ismail Gasprinsky's motto, 'Unity in language, work, and opinion,' we are strengthening our bonds as the Turkic world. With a volume of $1.2 trillion in trade, we also have a youthful and vibrant population of 175 million. We are committed to unlocking our full potential, particularly in the economy—in fields like science, energy, transport, defence, and security. Our summit covered a discussion of current events in the South Caucasus and Ukraine, as well as concerted efforts against the Israeli genocide in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories. As part of our summit, eight documents were also signed within our Organisation. Additionally, we are hard at work on the common Turkic alphabet. Transitioning to the common alphabet will allow us to transcend another historical milestone and usher in a profound spirit of unity. During the summit, I particularly highlighted our sensitivity regarding this matter, among others. We engaged in talks with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, as well as other attending heads of state and government on the margins of the summit."
Visit to Hungary
President Erdoğan noted that he attended the fifth meeting of the European Political Community in Hungary the previous day, during which the challenges encountered, including migration and economic security issues, were discussed. President Erdoğan also recalled his attendance at the first EPC meeting, held in Prague in 2022.
President Erdoğan stated that in his summit address, he conveyed the significance of collaboration with Türkiye in areas such as defence and security, energy, transport, food security, and migration management and went on to say:
"I underlined that hindering our EU accession process based on certain groups' vicious considerations runs against strategic wisdom and justice. I once again reiterated the ethical and moral duty that rests on Europe to put an end to the Israeli genocide in Gaza and the ongoing atrocities in Lebanon. I indicated that only if all parties made room for diplomacy would there be a just and enduring peace in Ukraine. On the sidelines of the meeting, we had bilateral meetings with President Emmanuel Macron of France, Prime Minister Dick Schoof of the Netherlands, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. In addition, we had meetings with leaders of Kosovo, Poland, Armenia, Ukraine, Switzerland, Albania, Italy, Austria, Greece, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. I hope that our meetings, discussions, and talks will yield auspicious outcomes."
President Erdoğan then went on to address the questions from journalists.
In response to the question referring to Donald Trump's electoral victory, "You have communicated with Mr Trump and extended your congratulations. What are your thoughts on the outcome and its potential repercussions on Türkiye-US relations?" President Erdoğan expressed his hope that these elections would be beneficial to the United States, the region, and the global community.
"He aced the test without relenting or letting up"
President Erdoğan remarked that Trump faced several significant challenges, including an attempted assassination during his election campaign and went on to say:
"You know, they attempted to shoot him; the bullet grazed his ear. He was handcuffed and escorted to police precincts. Throughout all these events, he maintained a truly vigorous campaign with relentless, unwavering, and steadfast resolve. This is not a task that every politician can effortlessly accomplish. Trump did. 'Kamala Harris will win by a landslide' was the common prediction from the outset of the election. They kept saying it. To be honest, many did not even think Trump had a shot at winning. But as they approached the final stretch of the race, the gap started to widen. Trump believed in his own victory, and at the end of the day, he succeeded. During this process, only Elon Musk stood by his side. Elon Musk stood by him through thick and thin. I believe that Trump has navigated a significant challenge with notable resilience, even in the face of considerable pressure, including the judicial proceedings. In the end, he was the one who won the election."
"The exemplary partnership of Türkiye and the United States is indisputable"
Referring to his phone call with Trump, President Erdoğan said the following:
"We had a cordial conversation with Mr. Trump. At the time, they were having a family dinner. During the call, Elon Musk and Elon Musk's child were with him. We discussed the election process and the cooperation between Türkiye and the United States. He also made positive remarks regarding Türkiye in the forthcoming process. We invited him to visit our country. I am optimistic that he will accept our invitation, allowing us to enhance the collaboration between Türkiye and the United States in a manner distinct from the previous period. Because there is still the F-35 issue between us and the United States. There is also a process regarding the S-400. When talking about Türkiye during Trump's presidency on the F-35 issue, he made the statement, 'They paid the money, but you are still not giving them the planes?' In the new period, what steps will we take to address these issues effectively, and how will we progress from here? As Türkiye, we have clearly articulated our expectations from our ally, the United States of America. We are facing many challenges, notably the Palestinian issue and the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Through collaborative efforts between Türkiye and the United States, it is indeed feasible to overcome these challenges. I sincerely hope that Trump's presidency will contribute to the resolution of regional and global conflicts and crises. We collaborated with President Trump during his prior presidential term. Even if there are some disagreements from time to time, the exemplary partnership of Türkiye and the United States is indisputable."
"We are in favour of peace and tranquillity"
Regarding the points that the recent public opinion polls in Israel show that two-thirds of the population supports Donald Trump, analyses suggest that his victory in the election could mark a critical turning point for the Middle East, following the attack on Lebanon, the worries regarding Israel's ultimate goal being territorial expansion are raising; President Erdoğan was asked, "What will be the impact of the American elections on the Middle East, considering these facts?" and he responsed:
"In the forthcoming period, we will maintain our talks with Donald Trump and explore how we can collaboratively influence the developments in the Middle East through telephone diplomacy, as we have previously engaged in. For instance, we will discuss the withdrawal of US troops from Syria. How will they cut their support to the PKK/PYD/YPG terrorist organisation? Through dialogue and direct communication by phone, I believe we will form a certain basis for these matters. In the previous period, we had no difficulty communicating with President Trump. We managed to establish contact within 24 hours and focused our endeavours to get results through phone diplomacy. In this period, I do not think we will have any problems regarding this as well. You should be aware that Trump has pledged to end these conflicts initiated by Israel. We are optimistic that he will fulfil his pledge and tell Israel to 'stop'. We hope that in Mr Trump's second term, a period of lasting peace and tranquillity in the region will be built. We are in favour of peace and tranquillity."
Highlighting that the absence of a permanent solution to the Israel-Palestine issue gives birth to a cycle of violence, and the region has been unable to break that cycle, President Erdoğan noted:
"Sustaining the policies of the Biden period would deepen the deadlock in the region and spread the conflict. We could never want that. I would say that it could be a good beginning to end the Israeli aggression in Palestinian and Lebanese territories if Mr Trump cut off arms supplies to Israel. Each step towards supporting the expansionist ambitions of Israel could escalate the tension in the region, along with extending the conflict zones. It would be favourable if the countries outside the region shaped their Middle East policies by taking all these risks into account. The election of Mr Trump as the President of the USA will significantly affect the political and military balances in the Middle East. It will be beneficial for global peacebuilding if all parties take steps to promote peace and stability in the region. Otherwise, the spread of conflicts and the continuation of massacres will be a loss for all."
In reply to the question that towards which direction the USA's approach under the presidency of Donald Trump, who declared victory in the presidential elections in the USA, to the Ukraine-Russia issue will change and what his expectations on the course of the war are, President Erdoğan said, "Mr Trump is an outspoken person. In the past, he said to (Angela) Merkel, 'I give such and such amount to NATO; how much do you, as Germany, give?' Merkel could not even say anything there. We are among the countries that give the highest amount of money to NATO, following the USA. At this point, Türkiye is one of the countries allocating the largest budget to defence in NATO. We may not be able to reach the figures of the USA in this period as well; however, we can continue to be one of the countries on an ideal level."
Pointing out that NATO does not have a problem regarding troops, President Erdoğan continued:
"We are already doing well in terms of the number of troops. The efforts of some Western countries, led by the United States of America, to end the war in Ukraine would accelerate a solution there. From the very beginning, we have both asserted Ukraine's rightness and chosen to stand on the side of peace in this war. We did not heed any guidance to pick a side in the war, and we maintained contact with both sides. We have seen that our belief that problems can be solved through diplomacy is not sufficiently shared by the West. If we see that the US approaches the issue from a solution perspective under the Trump administration, we can easily bring an end to this war. More arms, more bombs, more chaos and more conflict, will not end this war. More dialogue, more diplomacy, more reconciliation will pave the way for peace. We are a country that has managed to gather both sides around the same table. We have done it numerous times, and we can do it again. This war must come to an end. We have concentrated our efforts on peace, and we will continue to do so. We hope that in the new term, we will embark on new beginnings and achieve a world where all conflicts and wars are over."
"We are committed to our goal of the full membership of the European Union"
In response to a question by a journalist on the post President of the European Union (EU) Commission Ursula von der Leyen shared, saying, "A stronger EU-Türkiye partnership will benefit our shared region," with regard to Türkiye's accession to the EU, and on any further developments, President Erdoğan noted that they had not yet seen such an attitude from von der Leyen during their discussion.
Stating that steps are still being taken at the negotiation stage, President Erdoğan said, "If they adopt such an approach, we will share it. Both our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our colleagues engaged in European Union relations will have more frequent contact with their counterparts. We will continue to address this issue in our discussions with the leaders and hopefully strive for a favourable outcome."
Noting that everyone is aware of Türkiye's potential, "Europe's recent endeavours to cooperate with Türkiye are an indication of this," President Erdoğan remarked. "We are committed to our goal of complete accession to the European Union; we have taken and are taking steps towards this goal. We would rather have an eye-level relationship with the European Union on equal terms without stumbling on political barriers. We expect a visionary approach from the European Union at a pace that will make up for lost time," President Erdoğan stated.
Emphasising that he has told this to his European counterparts on every occasion, President Erdoğan said, "Updating the Customs Union and taking a step forward in visa liberalisation would be a good start. Keeping its promises is an opportunity for the European Union to demonstrate its sincerity. Because we have already passed the test of keeping all of our promises."
"A significant step towards strengthening regional security cooperation"
When asked if the Agreement on Civil Protection Mechanism signed at the 11th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organisation of Turkic States is a step towards establishing a joint army in the future, President Erdoğan responded as:
"That would be an overstatement. There is no such thing envisioned right now. There are presently no plans or efforts among the Turkic States to form a joint army in the future. The Agreement on Civil Protection Mechanism is a significant step towards strengthening regional security cooperation. Coordinating disaster and emergency response efforts will amplify the deep cooperation among our states. The primary goal of this Agreement is to strengthen the solidarity of members of the Organisation of Turkic States in the event of disasters or emergencies. This solidarity will improve our preparedness and resilience to disasters and recovery processes. As you are aware, we laid the conceptual framework for this at the Extraordinary Summit we hosted in our country following the Disaster of the Century.
This agreement will boost the spirit of unity within the Organisation of Turkic States. Once more, we learnt by experience the importance of solidarity with our friends and fellows during disasters and emergencies. Training, drills, and technology transfer between our countries are among the issues on our agenda, and actions are being taken to address them. All these developments could help deepen the ties in the realm of security. These processes take time and are influenced by a variety of political, economic, and social factors. Alliances, unions, and international organisations have become exponentially more important in today's world. Such actions based on solidarity further reinforce organisations."
"Mankurtization is practised by FETO and all comparable terrorist organisations"
Upon the question of a journalist, “We understand that one of the main goals of your travel to Kyrgyzstan was to transfer FETO schools in the country to the Maarif Foundation. Is there any progress on this? You have had similar requests and expectations from other countries. Is the death of the ringleader of the organisation something that you believe would help Türkiye in its fight against FETO?” President Erdoğan said:
"First and foremost, it has been a peaceful step for Türkiye, as you indicated. Kyrgyzstan is a country where FETO has aimed to gain ground, a country it has targeted. Recently, strong measures have been implemented to counteract this pernicious organisation. In my speech to the students of Manas University, I cautioned them against giving in to the influence of individuals who seek to control their thoughts and hijack their identities. For FETO and all comparable terrorist organisations aim at the mankurtization and exploitation of people. In this regard, terrorist organisations are no different from each other. All of them want useful robots lacking consciousness, personality, and will, and they utilise them to attack their targets.
We inform all countries in which FETO operates about the organisation's true nature and urge them to eliminate this cancerous cell and fight against it in order to ensure their own safety and that of their generations. We provide examples to demonstrate the diversity of the masks that FETO wears, the organisation's hypnosis methods, and the fact that the fight against them is a security issue. Those who understand us and recognise the danger are taking action, as in the case of Kyrgyzstan. There is an increasing number of people who are aware of the organisation's potential hazards. We will never cease our efforts to achieve this increase. This is also an activity to fight against terrorism. We are not going to back down from any kind of fight against terrorism."
"We are determined in our fight against FETO and all other terrorist organisations"
President Erdoğan emphasised the significance of the international dimension in the fight against FETO and said:
"We continue our comprehensive struggle against the structures of this organisation that are present abroad in every field. We are particularly pleased that the significance of the measures that must be taken in the field of education has been acknowledged and that initiatives have been implemented to transfer the educational facilities held by this organisation to our Maarif Foundation. We continue to harmonise the educational approach of the Maarif Foundation with the control and management of the schools run by FETO. Soon, we will experience the effectiveness of our Maarif Foundation with greater intensity in Kyrgyzstan. We are determined in our fight against FETO and all other terrorist organisations, and we continue to make progress."
Pointing out that 13 months have passed since Israel attacked Gaza, President Erdoğan was asked, "Do you think the Islamic and Turkic world has done its part on Gaza? The issue of trade with Israel has been the subject of slander in recent days. An agreement was signed at the request of the Palestinian side after Türkiye completely halted trade with Israel. What is your assessment on this matter?" to which he responded, "Unfortunately, some unknown or unworthy people slander us bizarrely about our relations with Israel."
Expressing that some political parties are still trying to expect something from there, President Erdoğan continued:
"As of now, we have ceased our trade relations with Israel. In the upcoming period, as far as possible, we will continue on our path with severed relations with Israel. They do not possess any power or any steps they can take or have taken. However, when it comes to slander, they are experts. We will continue on our path with the same determination. We will resolutely persist in our efforts in solidarity with Egypt, and we will not give Israel credit in this regard.
Israel has occupied Palestine for decades. For years, people have been fighting for their lives in open-air prisons. Genocide is the precise term for the events that are currently unfolding in Gaza. Innocent people, mostly women and children, have been brutally massacred. Bombs have been dropped on over 2 million individuals who are confined to a small piece of land. Unfortunately, we are currently experiencing days that are disgraceful for humanity. We will not cease our efforts to expose the atrocities in Gaza. We will articulate Israel's cruelty, violations of international law and human rights at every opportunity. Even if the massacres in Gaza, the cries of mothers and babies, are forgotten by all, we will not forget and will not let them forget."
President Erdoğan stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and his team will undoubtedly be held accountable for what they have done and said, "We are after them, and we will not let them go without being held accountable for their murders."
Emphasising that Türkiye is mobilising all the means at its disposal for its brothers and sisters in Gaza, President Erdoğan stated that they delivered more than 85 thousand tonnes of humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza with the support of the Egyptian authorities. "According to these figures, we can say that we have provided the most amount of aid to Gaza," said President Erdoğan.
"We have been fighting against terrorism uninterruptedly"
As a response to the question regarding steps for fighting against terrorism, President Erdoğan highlighted that they would maintain their determination in the fight against terrorism in the same way and added:
This matter of a depth of 30-40 kilometres will persist. Currently, our struggle to penetrate the depths of Syria and Iraq, to pursue the terrorists there, and to eradicate terrorism at its source is ongoing without any compromises. As we have verbally expressed that we will not allow the establishment of a ‘’terroristan‘’ beyond our borders, we are also demonstrating it in practice. Stepping back from this struggle and easing it is out of the question; it will never happen. We are aware that even the slightest compromise to terrorist elements poses a significant threat to our national security, and we continue our fight against terrorism without any compromise."
Noting that Türkiye will never hesitate to take the necessary measures to safeguard itself, President Erdoğan said: "Every step we take for our border security seeks to impede the transit routes of terrorists, and we have increased our border security by deploying personnel and utilising advanced technology. We have been fighting against terrorism uninterruptedly, and this will be over only when the last terrorist is neutralised, and the threat to our country is eliminated."