President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, following his meetings in Tirana, the capital of Albania, where he attended the 6th Summit of the European Political Community, made statements to the press and answered questions during his return flight to Türkiye.
President Erdoğan stated that they had concluded their meetings at the 6th Summit of the European Political Community, hosted by Albania. He noted that during the summit, held under the theme "A New Europe in a New World," they discussed the challenges facing Europe together with nearly 50 heads of state and government, as well as representatives of international organisations.
President Erdoğan stated that common challenges, such as Europe's economic and military security, preserving competitiveness, and migration, as well as methods of cooperation to address these issues, were discussed. He added, "As you know, I also participated in the first summit of the European Political Community held in Prague in 2022, as well as the 5th summit held last November in Budapest. At both summit meetings, I conveyed the challenges we face in regional and global contexts, along with possible solutions."
President Erdoğan emphasised that during the Tirana summit, he again underlined Türkiye's key role in ensuring Europe's security, prosperity, and stability and added:
"I shared information as to the recent contacts we have had to end the Russia-Ukraine war. I emphasised the necessary steps to restore peace and stability in Europe, as well as the significance of our country's cooperation. At a time when we are reassessing the architecture of European security and mechanisms in the field of the defence industry, I emphasised Türkiye's indispensable role in the future of Europe. It is high time that the political obstacles and prejudiced attitudes in the way of deeper cooperation in all these fields are left behind. Otherwise, Europe will be unable to achieve the much-needed transformation, and its competitiveness will decline further in every aspect.
We look forward to the support of all relevant parties, including the European Union, for the delicate process we are carrying out with US President Donald Trump, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to establish peace in Ukraine as soon as possible. In my address and bilateral discussions, I reiterated that Europe does not have the luxury of keeping silent in the face of the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza and the continued attacks on the West Bank. We will continue to utilise all available instruments to increase pressure on the Netanyahu government. Europe must also take responsibility for clearing Syria of terrorism and lifting sanctions to allow reconstruction efforts to begin."
"I hope Trump's decision will serve as an example"
President Erdoğan stated, "In this context, I find US President Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Syria highly important and meaningful. I hope my good friend Trump's decision will serve as an example for all interested parties, especially the European Union."
In response to a journalist's question, "Together with Devlet Bahçeli, you ended a 50-year nightmare. This is, in fact, a step—a revolution—that deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. For the first time in its history, the PKK has announced that it is disbanding and laying down arms. What should we expect going forward? At what point will we be able to say, 'Yes, this is it'?" President Erdoğan said:
"The ultimate goal of a terrorism-free Türkiye is straightforward: to bury the weapons. The terrorist organisation must entirely lay down its guns, the resolution to dissolve must be fully implemented, and illegal activity must be abandoned. We will closely monitor the implementation of the decisions made. We will achieve a terrorism-free Türkiye without compromising our martyrs' spiritual legacy and the rights of their families and veterans. The full eradication of terrorism from Türkiye's agenda will usher in a new era. Look, terrorism has been a shackle on this country's foot for years. We managed to shatter the chains that were limiting our speed and restricting our feet. Why were traditional dances performed in the Southeast and East after the terrorist organisation vacated the areas it occupied? All of these dances had a meaning.
My citizens danced there because peace had finally arrived in the East and Southeast. Tayyip Erdoğan wants peace and prosperity for his country and the region, not for himself. We must be well aware of this. This atmosphere of peace will accompany the region's overall economic resurgence. The lives of my people in the East and Southeast will be vastly different. Both commercial life will be revitalised, and my citizens will be able to breathe freely in the streets and neighbourhoods. The highlands will revive and stand firm. Our shepherds will be able to live safely with their herds on the plateau. Peace will now be felt throughout my country in its truest sense. There are some weak voices, but as our citizens embrace the process, they will be muted. We anticipate that the chapter on terrorism will be closed, never to be reopened."
"It will lead to the strengthening of civil politics"
"Will we consider the outcome of the deal with Syria's Damascus regime as we move forward with this process? Again, what roles will the Baghdad and Erbil administrations play in the processes of disarming terrorists and delivering their weapons?" In response to these questions, President Erdoğan said:
"The operation of dissolving the organisation and surrendering weapons will now be overseen by our state's security services. Negotiations are also underway with their counterparts in neighbouring countries to determine how terrorists outside our borders would relinquish their weapons. There are plans for how the Baghdad and Erbil administrations will participate in this process. When the weapons are turned over, and the organisation is entirely dismantled, terrorism will be eliminated from Türkiye's agenda with steps that cement our unity and solidarity. Mothers and fathers will feel relieved. The full eradication of violence will result in the strengthening of civil politics. Türkiye will be able to achieve its aims more easily. This measure will also help Iraq and Syria achieve peace, development, and stability. We presently have excellent connections with the Syrian administration. President Ahmad al-Sharaa of Syria visited Türkiye twice. We held highly productive meetings. To answer your question, our Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Head of National Intelligence Organisation İbrahim Kalın, and Defence Minister Yaşar Güler conducted meetings. Our meetings continue. Allah willing, we will achieve our goals."
Russia-Ukraine meeting
In response to a question regarding the factors that prevented the anticipated meeting between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine from taking place in İstanbul and what steps need to be taken for the process to move in a positive direction again, President Erdoğan stated the following:
"There is no issue stemming from our side in this matter. When we look at which leaders are in an active position here, President Putin stands out as a key leading actor. President Trump is likewise a leading actor. And last but not least, President Zelensky, too, is a leading actor. We have made our call to all of them. Bringing the delegations of the two countries together in İstanbul is extremely important for ending the war that began on February 24, 2022, and for establishing peace in the region. We have been making great efforts to end the war from the very beginning. This summit was planned as a significant step that, as a result of our efforts, would open the doors to peace.
As Türkiye, we strive for a fair and lasting peace. We are not merely saying, 'Let the war end;' we are proposing methods, preparing the ground, and making calls to achieve it. First of all, in order for the war to come to an end and for the weapons to be laid down, diplomacy must speak. Peace negotiations must start, and this opportunity should be seized. It is not possible to end this war with conflicts and weapons. Our greatest desire is to achieve a definitive outcome from the peace talks. Therefore, we have set our minds on continuing our role as a mediator in order for this war to end. We will be making every effort to keep the channels of dialogue open and to continue negotiations between the parties."
On Gaza
In response to the question, "The fact that the United States directly negotiated with Hamas to secure the release of an American citizen held by them has, frankly, angered Netanyahu. Criticism of Netanyahu is also growing in Europe. In your most recent speech, you said, 'We hope to receive heartening, hopeful news for Gaza.' Could we receive such good news for Gaza before Eid al-Adha, thanks to your efforts?" President Erdoğan said:
"Right now, with our Turkish Red Crescent and our own infrastructure, we are providing all kinds of food aid to Gaza and will continue to do so. You can see how the people of Gaza — from children to the elderly, women and men alike — are lining up with pots and pans in their hands just to get food. There is a nation there that has been virtually condemned to starvation, and we can all see what is being done for them. We are doing everything within our power and have already delivered food aid to the region. Thankfully, our Red Crescent is carrying out a very important mission there. They have a substantial stock of canned roasted meat on hand. With these canned meals, the Red Crescent is striving to come to the aid of the poor, the destitute, and those left hungry and without shelter."
Reminding that Eid al-Adha is approaching, President Erdoğan emphasised that they are endeavouring to deliver both meat and sacrificial aid to the region during the holiday, and he continued:
"In the same way, we will continue our efforts to reach the region with canned food and similar types of aid. Gaza is truly in a state of deep suffering and deprivation. May Allah help them. Gaza does not have even a single day to lose. We communicate this across all platforms. We share this with every leader and interlocutor we meet. Israel's aggression in Gaza must be stopped. We make every effort to this end. The way to long-term peace in the region involves a two-state solution. The most effective solution is to establish a Palestinian state with geographical integrity, with its capital in East Jerusalem and borders based on 1967. More damage, bombing, and killing will not get you anywhere. Israel cannot ensure the safety of its own citizens by killing scores of Gazan children, women, and innocents every day. The sooner they abandon this state of madness, the better it will be for everyone."
"We will fulfil our obligations if the parties so request"
After being asked, "Will Türkiye take on the role of a mediator in the Kashmir issue, which has become chronic and has been the cause of war between India and Pakistan many times?" President Erdoğan responded, "We are making our best efforts on this issue as well."
President Erdoğan stated that they had numerous discussions with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to discuss the current developments and added:
"What can we do? How can we assist you? We shared and planned these with them. We took our steps accordingly. Praise Allah, the work has reached a certain stage. Finally, they made peace. Fortunately, a calm environment has been restored. Addressing the concerns calmly so that tensions do not re-escalate can get the parties closer to a resolution. As Türkiye, we would like to see the matter resolved through a human rights-based strategy that involves international organisations. Of course, we will fulfil our obligations if the parties so request. We want peace; we do not want friction between two neighbours."
In response to a journalist's question, "The US State Department said that it had authorised the sale of air-to-air missiles to Türkiye valued at over $300 million. Is this the first step towards overcoming CAATSA sanctions? Will there be more? Will the F-35 process accelerate? Beyond that, do recent developments indicate a stronger collaboration between Türkiye and the United States? Is this the beginning of a new era?" President Erdoğan noted:
"We can easily talk about a thaw in terms of CAATSA. We discussed this with President Donald Trump and the newly appointed US Ambassador to Türkiye, Mr Tom Barrack, when we met him. I believe we will overcome the CAATSA process much more quickly. As two outstanding NATO partners, we should have no defence-related constraints or hurdles. In this regard, the decision is on point. Our greatest expectation is the eradication of all barriers that are contradictory to the spirit of our strategic partnership. Every positive step in this direction is valuable to us. I believe that more will follow. With my friend Trump in office, we have more open, constructive, and genuine communication on these issues. We share common interests with the United States in areas such as the defence industry, economic relations, regional security, and global concerns. We will continue to cooperate on the basis of mutual respect and understanding, as we always have. The alliance between Türkiye and the United States is critical to achieving stability in our region and the world. In this sense, we are working to create a constructive and result-oriented platform for dialogue."