President Erdoğan: “We see that peace is not far away”
After attending the "International Forum on Peace and Trust," held in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan commented on his visit and answered journalists' questions on his return flight to Türkiye.
President Erdoğan said he concluded his visit to Ashgabat, where he attended the 30th anniversary celebrations of the declaration of Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality. He noted that the organisation of these events, coinciding with the "International Year of Peace and Trust" proclaimed by the United Nations (UN) and co-sponsored by Türkiye, added special significance to the celebrations.
President Erdoğan thanked the National Leader of the Turkmen people and Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. He expressed his desire to strengthen relations with Turkmenistan, which he visited three years ago, citing shared history, language, religion, and culture.
President Erdoğan highlighted the significant economic and commercial partnership with Turkmenistan and said:
"Since Turkmenistan's independence, our businesspeople have executed projects worth around 55 billion dollars. Currently, 19 projects totalling 10 billion dollars are underway. In this regard, Turkmenistan ranks second—after the Russian Federation—among the countries where our companies have carried out the largest number of projects. We are striving to increase our trade volume, which exceeded 2 billion dollars in 2024, to 5 billion dollars. We also value the human aspect of our relationships. We are delighted that our Turkmen brothers and sisters select Türkiye as their first choice for university study. We are pleased that these young people are contributing to the growth of their country by returning to Turkmenistan after completing their education."
President Erdoğan recalled that the resolution passed at the UN General Assembly session on December 12, 1995, granted Turkmenistan permanent neutrality, saying, "It has been successfully maintaining this status for 30 years. It also makes special attempts to convert the concept of neutrality into a philosophy of peace. As the first country to recognise Turkmenistan's independence, we were among the first to advocate for Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality status. We continue to support Turkmenistan's neutrality-based peacebuilding vision."
President Erdoğan expressed that during his speech at the forum, he reiterated his support for Turkmenistan and highlighted Türkiye's contributions to regional and global peace, as well as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
"We believe the war should have ended long ago"
Recalling that he also held bilateral meetings with President Vladimir Putin of Russia and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, President Erdoğan said:
"We assessed our collaboration with the Turkmen side, particularly in energy, transportation, trade, and other areas. Mr Putin and I discussed regional issues, the war in Ukraine, and our bilateral connections. We noted that we view positively the dialogue initiated through Mr Trump’s efforts, and we discussed the contributions our country can make to peace efforts. During our visit, we were once again proud to see Turkmenistan's degree of progress and the involvement of Turkish people and companies in attaining it. Guided by these sentiments and thoughts, I hope that our visit will be auspicious for our friendly and brotherly countries and contribute to international peace."
When asked about the specifics of his meeting with Putin, President Erdoğan replied that they had a very fruitful, thorough, and in-depth conversation. President Erdoğan said, "I assured him that I would always be available to greet him. We discussed how important it is to get together as soon as possible for this. He also said, 'I will keep my promise.' I hope we can arrange this visit as soon as possible. Daily interests are not the foundation of our relationship with Russia. They are based on a long history, a solid diplomatic basis, and mutual trust. We mainly discussed the war and peace initiatives. Like all relevant actors, Mr Putin is very well aware of where Türkiye stands on this issue. We believe the war should have ended long ago. We also make this clear to all of our counterparts."
Responding to a question on the Ukraine–Russia war, President Erdoğan continued:
“As you know, US President Donald Trump is actively involved in the issue. In addition to Trump’s engagement, we are also encouraging the United States. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, remains in constant contact with his counterparts in the United States. From time to time, we also conduct telephone diplomacy with other leaders. Following this meeting with Putin, we hope to have the opportunity to discuss the peace plan with US President Trump as well. We see that peace is not far away. All we need to do is turn our direction toward where peace lies. The Black Sea should not be viewed as an arena of confrontation. Such a situation would only harm both Russia and Ukraine and bring no benefit. Everyone needs freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Black Sea. And this must be ensured.”
“Recent past has shown that conflicts have brought nothing to Syria”
In response to the question, “Will you discuss the March 10 agreement in Syria with President Trump? What kind of timetable do you expect?” President Erdoğan stated:
“The implementation of the March 10 Agreement in Syria is a process that closely concerns the future of the region. Achieving the goals envisaged by the agreement will be the most beneficial outcome for Syria. With its implementation, Syria’s territorial integrity, unity, solidarity, stability, and progress toward a prosperous future will be reinforced. It has been clearly seen in the recent past that divisions and conflicts have brought nothing to Syria. It is important for the Syrian administration to act with a vision of bringing together all components that make up Syria. This approach is valuable and deserves support. There may be many actors with plans and ambitions regarding Syria. However, what truly matters is the Syrian people’s shared vision for their future. It is the long-suffering Syrian people who harbour realistic hopes. The implementation of this agreement will thwart the schemes of those who set traps. We want peace, tranquillity, and prosperity for all the people of Syria—Turkmen, Arab, Kurd, Sunni, and Nusayri alike. The implementation of the March 10 Agreement will undoubtedly strengthen this will.”
Asked whether Türkiye would take part in a Peace Council expected to be formed after the ceasefire in Gaza, President Erdoğan said, “So far, no proposal or request has been conveyed to us. We hear rumours that such a meeting may take place. As long as such meetings are held for peace, that is what matters. Let steps be taken—we are ready at any time.”
Drawing attention to Israel’s continued violations of the ceasefire, President Erdoğan continued:
“Since October 11, more than 3,702 of our brothers and sisters have been martyred. Unfortunately, Israel is not fulfilling its commitments. Problems regarding the entry of humanitarian aid persist. Israel must fulfil its commitments, fully comply with the ceasefire, and allow life in Gaza to return to normal. Winter conditions are being felt more and more intensely. The shelter problem in Gaza and the inability to meet basic needs must be resolved urgently. For this to happen, the security problem created by Israel must be eliminated. Türkiye has never shied away from taking responsibility.”
"Europe viewing its relations with Türkiye through a strategic lens would be beneficial for them"
In response to a journalist’s reminder of the Belgian Minister of Defence’s statement, 'We cannot be secure without Türkiye,' President Erdoğan said:
“As you know, our EU accession process has surpassed 50 years. Unfortunately, we have been stalled with such empty rhetoric. Countries that were not even part of the process before were admitted to the European Union, yet Türkiye—now a country of 86 million people, with its industry and capacity strong enough to add power to the Union—has still not been admitted. The stalling continues. I repeatedly tell my Foreign Minister, ‘Wherever you meet Europeans, remind them of this.’ And I continue to say the same to the leaders I meet. We are NATO’s second-largest land force. Our recent advances in the defence industry are well known. During this process, we faced overt and covert restrictions, even embargoes, yet we continued to strengthen our defence capabilities. We are ready to enhance cooperation in all fields on a win-win basis with European countries with whom we share bonds of friendship and alliance. Europe viewing its relations with Türkiye through a strategic lens would be beneficial for them as well. The steps to be taken by Europe will shape the next phase of this process.”
