Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz sees a new future for Türkiye in the changing world. Speaking to broadcaster TRT Haber late Tuesday, Yılmaz said Türkiye would have a more efficient role in the security architecture.
“Türkiye is a country that bolstered deterrence and at the same time, strongly demonstrated its principled stance favoring law and justice, peace diplomacy,” he underlined.
The vice president said Türkiye’s strategic importance was “understood better at a time of debate on Europe’s security architecture.”
NATO, the central security alliance for Europe, has been thrust repeatedly into crisis since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to power last year, most acutely by his threat to seize the vast Arctic island of Greenland from fellow member Denmark. That followed him pulling the rug from under Ukraine in its war against Russia, threats not to protect allies if they don't spend more on defense, and warnings that Washington could pull troops from Europe.
Yılmaz stated that it was imperative to be a “safe harbor” at a time of instability across the world.
He said that the war in the region and recent developments have demonstrated more clearly how accurate and forward-looking the terror-free Türkiye initiative is. “At a time when certain imperialist calculations and traps are being set over our region, strengthening our internal front, reinforcing our national unity and solidarity, and elevating our sense of brotherhood are truly invaluable,” he said. The initiative, brainchild of government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, aims to end the campaign of terrorism by the PKK that cost Türkiye thousands of lives and billions of liras since the 1980s. The terrorist group, spread across Syria and Iraq, has been the major security threat for years before it accepted to disarm itself in 2025. Yılmaz explained that the process will continue depending on developments on the ground, with legal regulations coming onto the agenda. “We hope that this will be realized as soon as possible. As you know, Türkiye has spent more than 40 years and exhausted many of its resources on this issue. Our greatest loss has been our people,” he said.
Emphasizing the importance of resolute and experienced leadership, especially during times of chaos, turmoil, conflict, and tension, Yılmaz said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was “a source of stability for the region and the world. “We see this not only in the Middle East but also in the context of Ukraine-Russia. Recently, our President had a very comprehensive phone call with Mr. Putin. We hosted Mr. Zelensky in Türkiye. Together with our Foreign Minister, they went to Syria. These are important diplomatic initiatives and positions that attract the attention of the entire world,” he said.
