On Feb. 14, chief foreign policy and security adviser Ambassador Akif Çağatay Kılıç highlighted Türkiye’s role in regional and global crises, including Ukraine, as he attended the 61st Munich Security Conference, which brought together leading foreign policy and security experts from across the transatlantic world.
Speaking at the conference, Kılıç reiterated Türkiye’s long-standing position that negotiations to end the war in Ukraine cannot yield results without Russia at the table.
"From the very first day of the war, Türkiye has maintained that any talks excluding Russia would be ineffective. The accuracy of Türkiye’s stance has once again been proven. We will continue our efforts, negotiations, and diplomatic engagements in this regard," he said.
The conference focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine, developments in the Middle East, and the fragile cease-fire between Israel and Palestine. Kılıç noted that discussions also highlighted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s role in addressing regional and global crises.
Kılıç recalled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s announcement at the conference that he would soon meet with Erdoğan, emphasizing the pace of diplomatic engagements.
"This was one of the key topics discussed. We are going through a rapidly evolving period, with both high-level meetings and side discussions taking place. The conference provides an opportunity for informal consultations, as well as in-person discussions with allies and partners whom we regularly engage with but rarely meet face to face," he said.
Commenting on reports that the Trump administration in the United States is considering peace talks with Russia over Ukraine without European involvement, Kılıç said the situation is evolving swiftly. "We are in a period where ideas and proposals emerge rapidly, followed by negotiations. The issue is not as straightforward as it seems. There is an increasing expectation that Europe should take on greater responsibility, and this has been acknowledged by all sides. We are witnessing an intense diplomatic and negotiation process," he said.
Kılıç emphasized that Türkiye has been actively working toward a sustainable and just peace since the beginning of the war. "As President Erdoğan has stated from the first days of the war, Türkiye has played an active role in facilitating a cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia. We have always maintained that peace has no losers, and as the Republic of Türkiye, we have continued to work toward that goal," he said.
He reiterated that discussions at the conference reinforced the necessity of engaging with Russia. "The need for dialogue with Russia has been emphasized in almost every discussion. This aligns with Türkiye’s position from day one—that negotiations excluding Russia will not lead to a sustainable outcome. Türkiye’s approach has been validated, and we will continue our efforts in diplomacy and negotiations," he said.
Expressing hope for progress, Kılıç said Türkiye remains committed to achieving a lasting solution. "I sincerely hope that our efforts will lead to a consensus where wars come to an end, life returns to normal and a sustainable, just peace becomes a tangible reality," he said.
Meanwhile, Kılıç and U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz spoke by phone, according to Kılıç’s office. They discussed global and regional issues. No further details were provided about the conversation.
