Erdoğan-led cabinet to focus on war spillover, security and energy risks

ANKARA

The Turkish Cabinet is set to convene at the Presidential Complex in Beştepe on April 6 under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with the war in the Middle East and its impact on Türkiye expected to dominate the agenda.

The meeting comes after a series of high-level statements from Erdoğan stressing that Ankara’s priority is to keep Türkiye away from the conflict and push diplomacy to prevent further escalation.

One of the main items expected to be discussed is the recent missile threat from Iran toward Turkish airspace and the measures taken in response.

Turkish authorities have previously said projectiles launched from Iran and heading into Turkish airspace were neutralized by NATO air and missile defense assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Another key topic is the Strait of Hormuz, where disruption to shipping has raised concerns over global energy supply and price stability.

The cabinet is expected to assess the possible effects of a deeper crisis there on oil prices and the domestic economy, as well as any additional steps that may be needed to limit the impact on local markets.

Erdoğan said last month that the war was affecting everything from energy markets to transport and trade networks.

The cabinet is also expected to receive an update on Türkiye’s diplomatic contacts aimed at stopping the war.

Since the start of the conflict, Erdoğan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and National Intelligence Organization head İbrahim Kalın have been engaged in intensive diplomacy with regional and international counterparts.

Broader regional security issues are also likely to be on the table.

Erdoğan spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 3, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Istanbul on April 4 for talks with the Turkish president, as Ankara continued to position itself as a diplomatic interlocutor in both the Middle East and the Black Sea.

The cabinet is expected to review the implications of the Russia-Ukraine war as well, including risks to civilian shipping in the Black Sea.

Another domestic security item expected to be discussed is the latest phase of the government’s “Terror-free Türkiye” process.

According to the source text, ministers will review the stage reached in the PKK disarmament track and assess the legal and procedural steps that could follow once any disarmament is formally verified.