On Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will leave for Saudi Arabia and travel to Egypt from there on Wednesday. Türkiye’s efforts for peace and stability in the region will dominate the agenda of Erdoğan in 2026’s first visits abroad.

Erdoğan, who propelled Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts to adopt a central role in international mediations, is expected to discuss steps to that extent with leaders of both countries.

Turkish media outlets reported that the topics Erdoğan will focus on during his trips vary from the "Board of Peace" for Gaza to rebuilding the Palestinian enclave, as well as Syria, which was liberated from the oppressive Baathist regime in 2024. The president will also discuss regional tensions, including U.S. threats against Iran and Israel’s expansionist policies.

Strengthening political relations between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia is positively affecting both bilateral economic cooperation and trade, as well as regional stability. Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, which stand out as two key countries in the Middle East, continue to strengthen their historic and deep-rooted relations through an increasing number of high-level reciprocal visits in recent years. Erdoğan is expected to be officially welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al Yamamah Palace in the capital Riyadh.

Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, which established diplomatic relations with the signing of the Friendship Treaty in 1929, have built strong ties over nearly a century through high-level reciprocal visits and regional organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). As bilateral relations strengthened through diplomatic visits, then-Saudi King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud visited Türkiye in 1966 as part of efforts toward unity among Muslim countries. The two countries entered a new phase of rapprochement based on shared interests during the years of the Iran-Iraq War, during which then-President Kenan Evren also visited Saudi Arabia.

The two countries, as major military and economic powers in the region, have achieved significant successes in regional policies through strengthened political and diplomatic relations in recent years.

By maintaining a mature balance based on controlled competition and cooperation rather than conflict, Ankara and Riyadh have demonstrated effective stances through institutions such as the OIC and the U.N. regarding crises in Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. After Israel declared war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia aligned their positions on the Palestinian issue, sharing overlapping interests in supporting a two-state solution and playing a joint role in a potential political settlement. Thanks to international efforts led by Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, together with other regional countries, 160 of the U.N.'s 193 member states have recognized Palestine as a state.

Türkiye and Saudi Arabia also demonstrated strong cooperation with other regional countries to ensure internal peace and stability in Syria, where the Bashar Assad regime was overthrown in December 2024. Supporting the new administration under President Ahmad al-Sharaa, the Turkish and Saudi governments played an important role in the lifting of international sanctions that would contribute to Syria's reconstruction process. Türkiye and Saudi Arabia also continue to demonstrate strong stances in favor of stability through humanitarian aid efforts and diplomatic support in international platforms, not only in Yemen, which has been the scene of internal conflicts for many years, but also in the crises in Sudan and Somalia.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said last Thursday that ‍talks have been held ‌on ‍a possible defense pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, but no agreement has been signed. "At present, there are discussions and talks underway, but no agreement has yet been signed," Fidan told reporters on Thursday. Responding at a news conference in Istanbul to a question about whether there might be such an alliance, Fidan pointed to what ‌he said was a need for broader regional cooperation and trust, ‍and added that regional ‍issues could ‍be resolved if ‍relevant countries would "be sure of each other." "This is an important question," he said, emphasizing the importance of security and actors trusting each other. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's "vision is broader, more comprehensive and aimed at establishing a larger platform," he added. Media reports, including Bloomberg News, alleged recently that Türkiye was seeking to join the defense alliance between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, citing people familiar with the matter. Ankara enjoys warm ties with both Riyadh and Islamabad, while already cooperating notably with the latter in the domain of defense.

In Egypt, Erdoğan is expected to push for momentum in bilateral relations, which took a new turn after years, in the wake of the "normalization" launched in 2024.