Türkiye’s peace diplomacy is expected to continue in 2026, in parallel with ongoing conflicts around the world. The year’s highlights will undoubtedly be a string of international summits the country will host.
Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye pursued an effective diplomacy for a wide array of international issues, making a name for itself as a prominent diplomatic actor.
Conflicts in the immediate region and unresolved issues with neighbors will likely dominate Türkiye’s foreign policy scene in 2026.
Recovery and rebuilding of Syria and preservation of territorial integrity of Türkiye’s southern neighbor, the situation in Gaza and an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict are among issues Turkish foreign policy will concentrate on. In terms of bilateral relations, the country may work on restoring relations with Armenia as the Caucasus country is exerting efforts to mend ties with Türkiye’s major ally, Azerbaijan.
In post-Baathist Syria, Ankara will weigh a response to the U.S.-backed terrorist group YPG’s actions as it eagerly awaits the group’s implementation of a March 2025 deal with Damascus. The deal, which calls for integration of the terrorist group’s Syrian members into the new Syrian army, was not fully implemented yet as the YPG insists on its decentralization demands. Keeping the YPG in check is essential for Türkiye, as the group that launched multiple attacks in Türkiye in the past years did not join its umbrella terrorist group PKK, in a disarmament process that began in 2025. Turkish officials repeatedly implied that a military action may be inevitable if the YPG fails to honor the deal, though foreign policy priority will be the resolution of the issue through dialogue. Türkiye did not shy away from launching a military offensive in Syria during the civil war to drive out Daesh and YPG from Syrian towns near the border, at the cost of sanctions by its NATO ally U.S., which openly cooperated with the YPG during the conflict in Syria. Nowadays, Syria and the U.S. appear on the same page, as the al-Sharaa administration’s ties with the Trump presidency elevated with a recent visit by the Syrian president to the U.S. Trump also boasts having good ties with Türkiye under Erdoğan’s leadership.
Türkiye’s interest in a stable Syria is also associated with the security risk posed by Israel, which did not cease its expansionist policies in 2025, including in Syria. Israel’s attacks targeting the new administration and escalating cooperation with the Druze community have been worrisome developments for both Syria and Türkiye, and apparently encourage the YPG to delay the implementation of the March 10 agreement.
Israel’s aggression remains a concern for Türkiye, although a cease-fire in Gaza is expected to prevail in 2026. Israel already violated the cease-fire repeatedly in the last months of 2025, though the international community appears more focused on the post-truce Gaza peace plan proposed by the U.S. The focal point of the peace plan is the establishment of an International Stabilization Force comprised of peacekeepers from around the world. Israel strictly opposes Türkiye’s contribution to the force, but the U.S. pushes for its inclusion. Türkiye expressed readiness to join the Stabilization Force and the rebuilding of Gaza. It remains to be seen how the process will move forward in the face of opposition by the Netanyahu administration, as Türkiye is one of the strongest opponents of Israel’s genocidal policies in Gaza.
