Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Sunday that preparations are underway for a potential meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump, though the date and location remain under discussion.
Speaking at the 2025 Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Fidan told reporters that talks are ongoing to determine whether the meeting will take place in the U.S. or in Türkiye.
Fidan also revealed that Erdoğan plans to visit Syria, adding that officials are working to finalize the timing, conditions and location for the visit.
Highlighting the scale of the Antalya forum, Fidan said the event drew more than 6,000 participants from 155 countries, including 21 heads of state and government, five vice presidents and 64 Cabinet ministers.
He said the three-day summit presented key proposals to resolve pressing regional and global challenges, with this year’s theme focusing on both the hopes and anxieties shaping humanity’s shared future.
Fidan said the forum also addressed issues ranging from Gaza and Syria to the African continent, as well as topics such as empowering women, combating racism and confronting forced displacement.
“Türkiye continues to advocate for a diplomatic approach based on regional ownership and cooperation in the face of global polarization. In this context, we will continue our efforts at full speed to stop the bloodshed in Palestine,” Fidan said, adding that Ankara will also maintain its fight against threats to Syria’s security and stability.
Calling on all actors inside and outside Syria to exercise caution and avoid provocations, Fidan said, “It is also evident that Israel’s operations in Syria, which have been ongoing for a long time, actually serve instability rather than stability.”
Fidan emphasized the need to establish technical, military-level agreements – especially on air deconfliction and de-escalation rules – to prevent direct confrontation between actors in Syria, such as Israel, the U.S., Türkiye and Russia.
Fidan also described Azerbaijan as Türkiye’s “brother” country and thanked Baku for hosting last week’s conflict de-escalation mechanism meeting between Israeli and Turkish delegations.
He said the meeting primarily involved technical discussions on resolving air traffic issues, adding that such meetings could continue whenever necessary.
Fidan said Türkiye will remain part of all constructive efforts for a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine, and will continue to play an active role in restructuring what he called the “European security architecture,” which he described as inseparable from Türkiye’s interests.
He expressed confidence that the European Union would act with the same “strategic foresight and vision.”
Türkiye continues to build trust on critical issues, bring parties closer and maintain its role as a mediator, he added.
Fidan said Türkiye’s support for the development and independence of post-colonial African states will continue. He added that Ankara will leverage its statecraft, foreign policy tools, and institutional ties to foster cooperation at both the governmental and grassroots levels across the continent.
Urging Europe to redefine its security priorities, Fidan noted a growing determination to “reduce dependency” in the continent’s defense industry.
He said a roadmap has been published covering financial, technological and production elements, and that ongoing studies and adjustments are being made in response to new demands.
On Erdoğan’s efforts to help bring peace to Ukraine, Fidan said the conflict is not just Türkiye’s concern but a global issue involving many actors – with Türkiye playing a unique role thanks to its ties with both Moscow and Kyiv.
He confirmed that Russian and U.S. delegations met last week in Istanbul to discuss consular affairs.
“Of course, if the parties wish to meet in Türkiye, our door is always open – as long as it’s for peace,” he said.
