President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Thursday that the world and the region are facing mounting challenges, stressing that strengthened solidarity and mutual understanding among Balkan Peace Platform members have become increasingly important as Türkiye works to reduce instability and advance peace in surrounding regions.

Erdoğan delivered the message during meetings in Istanbul with senior Balkan officials from the Balkan Peace Platform, where he welcomed Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ervin Ibrahimovic; Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Donica Gervalla-Schwarz; Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic; North Macedonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timço Mucunski; Albania’s Europe and Foreign Affairs Minister Elisa Spiropali; and Serbia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Nevena Jovanovic.

The talks focused on Türkiye’s bilateral ties with the participating countries and broader regional issues. Erdoğan expressed satisfaction with the second meeting of the Balkan Peace Platform held in Istanbul and thanked the attending ministers for their contributions.

He said the platform’s discussions — covering border security, energy, technology and transportation — demonstrated the value of regional ownership and open consultation. Erdoğan underlined that Türkiye has been actively working to lessen the impact of instability and help end conflicts across the region, pointing to ongoing peace-centered efforts in Ukraine, Gaza and Syria.

The president added that the Balkans must move forward with an approach that learns from past suffering while focusing on stability and future-oriented cooperation.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, Presidential Chief Adviser on Foreign Policy and Security Akif Çağatay Kılıç and Presidential Chief Adviser Sabri Demir also attended the meeting.