President Erdoğan addressed questions from journalists and made statements during his return flight from his visits to Saudi Arabia and Egypt to Türkiye.
President Erdoğan stated that they had exceptionally productive meetings with the leaders and delegations of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, adding, "We comprehensively addressed our bilateral relations in all dimensions. As prominent nations within our region, we engaged in consultations concerning current developments, particularly pertaining to Palestine and Syria, under the principle of the 'regional ownership' approach."
Recalling that the initial destination of his overseas visit was Saudi Arabia, where he held productive discussions with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, followed by inter-delegation meetings, President Erdoğan stated:
"We signed four documents and adopted the Joint Statement. As you are aware, Saudi Arabia maintains a distinguished position in sectors such as the defence industry, transportation, healthcare, investments, and contracting services. Our trade volume has consistently grown, amounting to 8 billion dollars in 2025. Our contractors have undertaken over 400 projects in Saudi Arabia, with a total value exceeding 30 billion dollars. The country offers numerous opportunities for exploration in the context of its preparations for major events, including EXPO-2030 and the FIFA 2034 World Cup. Furthermore, we note a considerable interest among the citizens of Saudi Arabia in our country.
"Once again, it has become clear who stands for peace and who stands for war"
President Erdoğan stated that the Second Meeting of the Türkiye-Egypt High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council was held in Cairo, pursuant to the invitation extended by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and said:
"The Council held its first meeting in Ankara in September 2024. During our talks, our bilateral trade and economic relations featured prominently. We signed a total of eight instruments, including the Joint Declaration. In both Riyadh and Cairo, business forums were organised, with participation from business communities from both countries. Together with President Sisi, we also addressed issues concerning our region, foremost among them the Gaza peace process. We worked jointly with Egypt and Saudi Arabia to bring Israel’s attacks on Gaza to an end. We acted in close cooperation throughout the process leading to the ceasefire agreement. Today, we remain in close dialogue to pave the way for Gaza's reconstruction. Egypt's assistance is crucial for coordinating the delivery of humanitarian aid from Türkiye to Gaza."
Drawing attention to the fact that the Israeli government continues to target civilians, President Erdoğan said, “Since 11 October, more than 500 Gazans have been martyred as a result of Israeli attacks. Serious restrictions and difficulties persist regarding the entry of humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza. Nevertheless, despite all provocations and violations by Israel, the first phase of the Gaza Peace Plan has been completed. Once again, it has become clear who stands for peace and who stands for war. As Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, we aim to remain actively involved in all processes and, in doing so, to safeguard the rights of our Palestinian brothers and sisters.”
President Erdoğan expressed his gratitude to the authorities of both countries for the hospitality extended to him and his delegation during the visits and conveyed his wish that these visits would yield beneficial outcomes for all three countries.
“The progress we have made in the defence industry attracts significant interest”
In response to the question, "Is there potential for cooperation with Saudi Arabia in relation to the national combat aircraft KAAN?" President Erdoğan stated:
“We share long-standing ties with Saudi Arabia that encompass strong cultural and historical dimensions. To strengthen these ties, we have formalised significant agreements during this visit. Much like the rest of the world, Saudi Arabia is closely monitoring the progress our country has made in the defence industry. Our primary emphasis in the defence sector is to meet our own needs. Additionally, we are making efforts to meet the needs of our friends and brotherly nations. We are pursuing significant partnerships with Saudi Arabia in the defence industry and remain committed to expanding this effort. KAAN is not merely a fighter jet. KAAN is a testament to Türkiye's engineering capabilities and independent defence will. We have received a great deal of positive feedback regarding KAAN. As we expand our global presence in this area, it is highly likely that such partnerships will increase. Furthermore, discussions on a joint investment with Saudi Arabia in this sector are underway. We can realise this joint investment at any time."
"Saudi Arabia to build power plants in Türkiye, with an overall capacity of 5,000 megawatts"
In response to the question, "You have signed significant agreements with Saudi Arabia in the field of energy. We are keen to understand their full scope; what do these agreements entail?" President Erdoğan said:
"A major agreement was signed between our Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Energy of Saudi Arabia on renewable energy during our visit. Saudi Arabia will build solar and wind power plants in Türkiye, with an overall capacity of 5,000 megawatts. Sivas and Karaman will be the sites for the initial phase, which will involve constructing 1,000-megawatt solar power plants at each site. The investment will be realised through external funding and international loans. We will acquire electricity from these plants at the lowest prices recorded in Türkiye to date. The foundations of two solar power plants with a 50% local content rate will be laid in 2027, and together they will supply electricity to 2.1 million households. The projects will provide major support to our electrical equipment and service sectors."
"The process remains active and continues uninterrupted."
Addressing the question, "Following the onset of tensions between the United States and Iran, you held talks with US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and a process was initiated. What is the current status of this process?", President Erdoğan made the following statement:
"We are making every effort to de-escalate the tension between Iran and the US without dragging the region into further conflict and chaos. For this reason, as you know, I met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian the following day after holding a meeting with US President Donald Trump. Together with our Minister of Foreign Affairs, we also convened a trilateral meeting in Istanbul with the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abbas Araghchi. We are keeping the issue active. Our opposition to military intervention in Iran has been clearly expressed, and we have conveyed this position directly to our counterparts. So far, I observe that the parties are seeking to create room for diplomacy. This stands out as a positive development. Problems are not solved through conflict but through negotiation and reconciliation. The process remains active and continues uninterrupted. The ground for diplomacy and dialogue remains open. Once lower-level meetings make progress, I think negotiations at the leaders' level will also be beneficial. It is important to establish a negotiation table at a time when military tensions have risen significantly. We hope the dialogue will resolve the issues and prevent a new conflict in our region. We will work to strengthen the ground for negotiation through both leader-to-leader diplomacy and meetings at other levels. We will see how much this ground expands and whether other countries get involved.
Responding to the question, "In previous years, Gulf countries—particularly Saudi Arabia, which stands out given your visit today—generally adopted a more U.S.-aligned approach toward Iran. Now, they appear to be closer to your policies, to Türkiye's policies. How would you assess the current political environment? They appear not to be taking an anti-Iran stance in the context of the Iran–U.S. crisis," asked by a member of the press, President Erdoğan said:
"First of all, we do not want a new war in our region. I have always expressed this as clearly as possible, and I continue to do so. Saudi Arabia, of course, is also affected by the conflicts in this region. They also want peace and common sense to prevail in our region. Our sensitivities generally align. Everyone realises that fully establishing peace and stability in our region will benefit all of us. Everyone definitely loses in a geography dominated by conflicts, blood, and tears. Therefore, it is the most rational option for all of us to be on the side of peace. I think the countries in the region have clearly recognised this through the conflicts of recent years and support our stance. The time has long come to break free from the ring of fire surrounding us and to extinguish the flames."
Pointing out that common sense is the common denominator here, President Erdoğan said that looking at this issue only from a military perspective would lead the region to disaster.
President Erdoğan, emphasising that further stoking the fire would benefit no one, said, "Our region has already endured enough blood, tears, and wars. Moving forward, we want to speak of peace and tranquillity and foster cooperation. Issues can always arise, and disputes are part of international affairs. Diplomacy exists to address these matters. Hence, we must strengthen peaceful diplomacy. This is vital for the interests of both our country and our region."
"Our stance is primarily to preserve the fundamental values of humanity"
When asked, "What role will Türkiye assume in the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan? Where does it currently stand compared to the initial phase? What is Türkiye's objective in this regard? As you have said, despite the adoption of this 20-article peace plan at Sharm El Sheikh in October, Israel has continued its attacks and obstructed and sabotaged the delivery of aid. How do Türkiye and the other countries involved in the peace plan assess Israel's actions in this process?" President Erdoğan said, "Türkiye will play an active role to ensure proper execution of the Gaza Peace Plan and to restore peace and stability in Gaza. We want our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza to attain the dignified future they deserve and a lasting peace. We support the establishment of peace not merely on paper, but on the ground."
"One does not need to be Muslim to oppose the atrocities in Gaza, acts amounting to genocide, and the use of hunger as a weapon. Our stance is primarily to preserve the fundamental values of humanity", President Erdoğan said and added that their historical and cultural ties with the Palestinians also have contributed to this stance. President Erdoğan pointed out that portraying this as blind opposition would only serve to distort the essence of the matter.
President Erdoğan continued, "If similar atrocities to those in Gaza were committed by Muslims elsewhere, we would stand just as firmly against them, as we do today. Haven’t we been saying for years that, for us, the oppressed are not defined by their language, religion, beliefs, or the colour of their skin? This is our principled stance. Steps towards a ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and the protection of civilians must be implemented as soon as possible. Türkiye is making a great effort to ensure this.
"Ensuring stability in Gaza and throughout Palestine is also in the interest of Egypt"
In response to the question, “Do Egypt’s approaches in the search for a solution to the Gaza issue align with Türkiye’s views? Because the unity of opinion among guarantor countries is important in order to put pressure on Israel. For example, what does Egypt envisage regarding the transfer of governance in Gaza? What is your assessment?” President Erdoğan stated that Egypt is one of the countries that feels the consequences of the oppression in Gaza most directly.
President Erdoğan said it is clear that Egypt does not want the Gaza and Palestine issue to deepen further, adding that the region is in no position to withstand another outbreak of conflict.
Emphasising that the Egyptian leadership is also well aware of this, President Erdoğan pointed out that the systematic instability caused by Israel in the region over many years has, over time, also taken a toll on Egypt.
President Erdoğan went on to say:
Egypt wants these conflicts to end and for Palestine to find peace just as much as we do. They have spoken out against the use of hunger as a weapon and the displacement of Palestinians from their land, and continue to do so. Egypt’s position is critical. Owing to both its geographical location and its historical responsibility, it is a key actor in Gaza’s future. For these reasons, ensuring stability in Gaza and throughout Palestine is also in Egypt's interest. The efforts Egypt has made to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza through Rafah and to organise its delivery are commendable. I believe that together we will ensure the restoration of peace in Gaza and the reconstruction of Gaza. Israel’s relentless attacks and violations of the ceasefire are absolutely unacceptable. We call on the international community to exert pressure on Israel to fully comply with the ceasefire. We continue to work day and night to ensure that our Palestinian brothers and sisters attain the happy days they deserve, and to remain the voice of the oppressed.''
"We support a united, strong, and peaceful Syria in all its diversity"
Upon being asked, ''How do you assess the current state of affairs in Syria? Could these recent developments bring a new momentum to Türkiye’s 'Terror-Free Türkiye' initiative? Do you have a call to make to Parliament in this regard? President Erdoğan stated that the establishment of stability and peace in northern Syria is a direct concern for Türkiye.
Stating that Türkiye’s great aspiration is for neighbouring Syria to be unified under the principle of 'one state, one army, one Syria,' President Erdoğan continued:
''Compliance by the entity referred to as the 'SDF' with the agreements it has signed will strengthen the climate of peace in Syria and facilitate lasting stability. No one should even contemplate fuelling conflicts, escalating tensions, or playing for time. To date, miscalculations have been recognised by Damascus and Ankara, and they will undoubtedly be addressed again. We support a united, strong, and peaceful Syria in all its diversity. We stand with Syria. We embrace everyone in a spirit of goodwill, regardless of whether they are Kurds, Arabs, Turkmens, or Alawites. The Syrian people are our friends and brothers and sisters. Our problem is with terrorism. It is with those who use terrorism as a means to achieve their separatist ambitions. With the resolution of the issue in northern Syria, the burden of the 'Terror-Free Türkiye' process has also been eased. The commission in Parliament is in the process of finalising its joint report. Our hope is that the report will be marked by consensus and a perspective that will bring dynamism to the process. With the steps we have taken, our 'Terror-Free Türkiye' objective is advancing toward a terror-free region, and inshallah, we will reach both goals with ease.''