Erdoğan, Spain's Sanchez discuss ties, regional issues
ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke over the phone with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to deliberate on the burgeoning bilateral partnership and critical global shifts, the Communications Directorate said on April 7.
The leaders addressed cooperation between the two countries, with Erdoğan saying the solidarity between Türkiye and Spain, “especially in defense and across all fields,” has been welcomed by their peoples, the directorate stated.
Erdoğan added that both sides aim to further advance relations.
Commenting on regional tensions, Erdoğan said Türkiye does not approve of efforts aimed at the “total destruction of Iran,” while also expressing concern over Iran’s stance toward neighboring countries.
He said that “everyone with a conscience should embrace peace and focus on diplomacy.”
The president warned that unless Israel’s actions in Gaza and elsewhere are blocked, “the region will continue to long for peace.”
Erdoğan also highlighted the importance of renewed diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
He said it is important to “revitalize negotiations” and for the international community to approach peace-focused engagement more seriously.
Erdoğan’s intense diplomacy started with a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin late on March 3, a day before Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky paid a snap visit to Istanbul.
According to a readout, Erdoğan and Putin discussed the Türkiye-Russia bilateral relations as well as regional and global matters.
Highlighting the importance of preventing any interruption in Türkiye’s quest for a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine, Erdoğan said Türkiye urges all parties to refrain from steps that would result in an escalation.
He hosted Zelensky on March 4 in Istanbul. A statement by the directorate following the lengthy meeting informed that the meeting addressed bilateral issues as well as the peace process and other regional developments.
Later in the day, Erdoğan also spoke on the phone with NATO chief Mark Rutte.
The president said the Iran-related process was heading toward a geostrategic deadlock and urged the international community to step up efforts to end the war. Referring to NATO’s support for Türkiye’s air defense, Erdoğan underlined that the solidarity demonstrated in this process once again highlights the alliance’s deterrent strength.
Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s unwavering commitment to brokering a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine. During the call, Erdoğan congratulated NATO on its 77th anniversary and noted his expectation that the upcoming July 7–8 summit in Ankara will yield strategic decisions to bolster the alliance’s resilience against future threats.
On the same day, Erdoğan also met with a Hamas delegation in Istanbul.