Speaking to journalists during his return from Ethiopia, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed that Türkiye would be represented by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at Thursday’s Board of Peace meeting in Washington.
“I hope the Board of Peace will contribute to permanent stability in Gaza,” he was quoted as saying in remarks published on Wednesday.
"I hope it will, ultimately, contribute to a cease-fire and peace," he added.
Erdoğan stated that the Gaza issue was a test of conscience for humanity.
"We have demonstrated where we stand on this matter since day one. The suffering our Palestinian brothers and sisters went through should end. (the Board of Peace) should aim to make the cease-fire permanent, ensure delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and solidify the ground for a two-state solution. We hope that the board will serve this purpose. Türkiye has always been open in its support to any initiative for the benefit of our Gazan brothers," he underlined.
In January, the White House announced the formation of the Board of Peace alongside the approval of a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, one of four bodies designated to manage the transitional phase in the enclave. Fidan joined U.S. President Donald Trump and representatives of countries in signing the Board of Peace charter in Davos, Switzerland, last month.
A Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters on Wednesday that Fidan, during the talks, would call for determined steps to resolve the Palestinian issue and emphasize that Israel must end actions that hinder the flow of aid into Gaza and stop its cease-fire violations. Fidan will also reiterate Türkiye's readiness to contribute to Gaza's reconstruction and its desire to help protect Palestinians and ensure their security, the source said. He will also call for urgent action against Israel's "illegal settlement activities and settler violence in the West Bank," the source added.
The creation of the board coincided with the launch of phase two of a cease-fire agreement, which halted Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 71,000 people and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.
The initiative is part of a 20-point plan proposed by Trump and adopted by the U.N. Security Council under Resolution 2803 last November.
Türkiye is a resolute supporter of the Palestinian cause in the face of Israel's genocidal attacks. Erdoğan and his team of diplomats played an effective role in the issue, and most recently, Ankara contributed to efforts to secure a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. At every international event and platform, Erdoğan has been vocal about his opposition to the Netanyahu administration's blockade of Gaza and slaughter of innocent civilians since 2023.
At one point, Türkiye spearheaded efforts to establish a guarantorship model in Palestine, though Ankara concentrates on its ultimate goal: helping broker a solution to the longstanding issue by establishing a sovereign State of Palestine.
Erdoğan also commented on ties with the EU and the situation in Iran. “It is time to include Türkiye in Europe’s defense and security mechanisms,” Erdoğan said.
Türkiye is under the spotlight for its massive contribution to NATO's biggest exercise, Steadfast Dart 2026, currently underway in Germany. The exercise, in which some 2,000 Turkish troops are participating, highlighted Türkiye's contribution to the alliance, mostly made up of European countries. Europe seeks to bolster its defenses amid the spillover of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on its eastern flank.
Answering a question, Erdoğan said the world was changing, and the European Union cannot confine itself to "(certain) narratives" in this age of rapid developments.
"A good choice for them will be lifting ideological barriers blocking Türkiye's integration with the EU and empowering Europe.
"They have to admit that it does not make sense to exclude Türkiye and turn a blind eye to the reality on the ground. If they want to build a new defense architecture, it will be futile to create it without Türkiye. The Turkish army is one of the biggest and most efficient armies in NATO. We trust it. Türkiye is not some country that only proceeds with diplomatic skills. It is a country showcasing its abilities in the field. I hope it is understood that Europe cannot speak of a functioning security equation without Türkiye," he said.
Last summer, EU countries adopted a regulation setting up SAFE, a new financial instrument designed to support member states that wish to invest in defense industrial production through common procurement, focusing on priority capabilities. The mechanism was created at the height of Europe’s concerns about the spillover of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Under the approved part of the regulation, joint defense procurement of the bloc may include third countries not members of the EU, such as Türkiye. Türkiye, a EU candidate country, expressed interest in joining the programs and received support from major member states, including Germany, Spain and Italy. But minor players, Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, objected, stalling the process.
“We conveyed to our counterparts that Türkiye is against military intervention in Iran,” Erdoğan said.
Türkiye's eastern neighbor was rocked with unrest in recent months, prompting the U.S. to hurl threats of military action against the country. Erdoğan told reporters that Ankara favors dialogue for a resolution of the problems between Iran and the U.S. He said they had high-level contacts with both countries.
"I last held talks with the Iranian president. I also held talks with President Trump. We discussed how we can move forward. Türkiye is a country that does not build walls between countries. It is not a country fuelling conflict. It is a country building bridges and paving the way for peace. A new war targeting Iran will not benefit anyone. On the contrary, our region will stand much to lose," he said.
"There is hope as long as the door to diplomacy is open," he added.
Iran said Tuesday it had agreed with the U.S. in talks in Geneva on "guiding principles" for a deal to avoid conflict, but Vice President JD Vance said Tehran had not yet acknowledged all of Washington's red lines. The Omani-mediated talks were aimed at averting the possibility of U.S. military intervention to curb Iran's nuclear program. Iran's supreme leader had warned earlier in the day that the country had the ability to sink a U.S. warship recently deployed to the region, after Trump alluded to "consequences" should the two sides fail to strike a deal.
On his visit to Ethiopia, Erdoğan said he was pleased to visit the country after an 11-year break and thanked Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for the warm welcome.
He stated that they discussed the steps needed to reach a $1 billion trade volume target with Ethiopia, highlighting opportunities to increase Turkish investment and signing agreements in the fields of economy and energy. Noting that Ethiopia serves as a key aviation hub for flights across Africa, Erdoğan said the country is advancing a major airport project and that Turkish companies could contribute to it.
Describing Ethiopia as the largest country in the strategically significant Horn of Africa, Erdoğan said it has strong potential with its deep-rooted state tradition and population of nearly 130 million. He pointed out that Addis Ababa, home to the African Union and several United Nations agencies, is often referred to as the diplomatic capital of Africa.
Erdoğan said the opening of Türkiye’s oldest embassy in sub-Saharan Africa in Addis Ababa in 1926 demonstrates that the city has long been at the heart of Türkiye’s relations with the continent. He noted that just prior to his visit, Ethiopia hosted an African Union summit, and that next year, Addis Ababa will host the U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Erdoğan said Türkiye would share its experience from hosting the conference in November with Ethiopian officials.
“If we want to tap into Africa’s potential, one of the key gateways is undoubtedly Ethiopia,” he said.
Recalling the Ankara Process, Erdoğan said Türkiye has established a habit of working closely with Ethiopia and noted that the Ankara Declaration adopted in December 2024 helped strengthen trust between Ethiopia and Somalia.
“We have achieved good results together, and, Allah willing, we will continue to do so,” he said.
Erdoğan said his visit to Addis Ababa also reflects Türkiye’s broader partnership policy toward Africa. He added that he shared this approach with Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, chairperson of the African Union Commission, and discussed continental issues as well as preparations for the 4th Türkiye-Africa Partnership Summit.
