President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed Türkiye's pride in "carrying the banner of humanitarian diplomacy" and taking the lead in global peace efforts, as he vowed to continue to defend the rights of the oppressed.
The president also reiterated Türkiye’s determination to eliminate terrorism once and for all. Addressing a youth-oriented event in Ankara, Erdoğan said Türkiye is both shaping and managing regional developments, while also building a resilient, secure future grounded in its civilizational roots.
"We are working tirelessly, one by one, for peace and cease-fires," Erdoğan told Gençfest, a gathering with youth in Istanbul on Friday.
He noted that Ankara is dedicating days and nights to stopping the bloodshed in Gaza, Ukraine, Kashmir and more.
"Türkiye is carrying the banner of humanitarian diplomacy. Türkiye is leading peace diplomacy. There is a Türkiye whose star shines on a global scale – a Türkiye that is strong both at the table and on the ground. A Türkiye that does not watch events from the sidelines but leads and guides them," he said.
"We will look to the horizon – and beyond it. Our eyes are on Palestine, on Gaza. Our eyes are on Pakistan, Libya, Sudan, Africa, the West. Our eyes are on the Russia–Ukraine war," Erdoğan said.
His comments came as delegations from Russia and Ukraine gathered in Türkiye in groundbreaking cease-fire talks on Thursday and Friday.
Erdoğan described the fight against terrorism as one of the most strategic priorities for the country’s future.
“They tried for decades to cut us off from our civilizational roots and alienate us from our culture, but we stood firm,” he said. “We are building our future together – Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Circassians, Alevis, Sunnis – embracing our shared destiny.”
Recalling the sacrifices made over the years, Erdoğan said tens of thousands of lives were lost in terror attacks, and Türkiye invested nearly $2 trillion to fight terrorism. He reaffirmed Türkiye's resolve: “We are taking deliberate and decisive steps to rid our country and region of terror. We will not stop until we succeed.”
Referring to a recent declaration by the PKK terrorist group to disband and lay down arms, Erdoğan criticized those who reacted negatively to the development. “Some who never criticized the group before suddenly mourned its end. They spread doubt through so-called insider reports – almost pleading for the group to reconsider,” he said.
He added that the end of terrorism threatens the interests of those who have long profited from instability. “They fed off terror, gained power, played revolutionaries while sipping whiskey. If terror ends, their swamp dries up, their stage collapses, and their false ideologies crumble.”
Calling for national unity, Erdoğan said, “We want to share both our joy and grief together, to embrace peace and a common future. Soon, we will relieve Türkiye of the burden it has carried for 40 years. That moment will mark the beginning of a new era.”
He criticized those who manipulate young people for political gain, saying, “Those who hide their corruption behind youth, who provoke and mislead them, who hand them weapons instead of books – will lose. Türkiye will win. Our 86 million citizens will win. Our unity will win.”
“Youth are at the heart of Türkiye’s progress”
Erdoğan also praised the nation’s youth and their role in Türkiye’s advancements. “We ensured your strong presence in politics and public service. We expanded universities, sports facilities, and created new opportunities. We entrusted our defense industry to young minds—and now we have our own UAVs, our own armed drones, our Akıncı aircraft. We are admired globally.”
Concluding his remarks, Erdoğan said, “No words can fully express our pride and trust in you. We will continue to shape the future hand in hand with our youth.”
