Türkiye to host key summit with regional, European powers
Serkan Demirtaş - ANKARA
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (AA Photo)
Türkiye will host a historic, first-of-its-kind summit in Istanbul, bringing together prominent Middle Eastern regional powers and the top three European nations, Turkish diplomatic sources have informed.
Designed to establish a unified framework for policy and multilateral diplomacy, the high-level conference will assemble foreign ministers from the R4 bloc (Türkiye, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt) and the E3 group (Germany, the United Kingdom and France) amid escalating regional turmoil.
According to the sources, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will host the high-level meeting joined by German Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Suud.
This will be the first meeting of the R4 and E3 countries in this format, sources recalled.
They informed that the ministers would discuss the Palestinian issue, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, the Yemen-based Houthi attacks and efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The meeting will also pave the way for the R4 and E3 countries to explore ways to cooperate and coordinate their policies regarding regional and global issues in the coming period.
According to the sources, Fidan will stress the imperative for regional states to shoulder greater responsibility in resolving local disputes, highlighting the importance Ankara attaches to establishing regional-ownership frameworks.
Fidan will further stress the urgency of containing active hostilities, arguing that current conflicts must not spark secondary crises, expand into new theaters, or trigger wider regional escalation.
Israeli occupation on the agenda
Among top regional issues will be the continued aggression of Israel against Palestinians, the sources stated.
The Turkish top diplomat will reiterate that Israeli aggression and expansionist policies constitute the main reason for the tension in the Middle East and call on the international community to avoid actions that would undermine Jerusalem’s historical and legal status and the two-state solution.
As for the intensified illegal settlement policies in the West Bank by the Israeli government, Fidan will repeat that the international community should continue to demonstrate a united and determined reaction with more pressure on Tel Aviv.
Iran-US conflict should be resolved through dialogue
On the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, the foreign minister will emphasize that a resolution can only be achieved through diplomacy and dialogue, noting that military means trigger and spread new conflicts.In the same context, Fidan is set to stress that ensuring safe navigation through key choke points like the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait remains critical for broader regional and international stability.
He will also mention the increased attacks by Yemen-based Houthi groups against Saudi Arabia and reiterate Türkiye’s support for the latter’s defense. Likewise, he will underline the importance of the solidarity displayed by the Mecca defense alliance and the common security approach of the recently formed alliance by Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
He will also underscore the importance of the support lent by R4 and E3 countries to Syria’s efforts to strengthen stability and welfare across the country despite Israel’s continued destabilizing actions.
Russian-Ukrainian war should not spread to Black Sea
Regarding the ongoing Russian occupation of Ukraine, Fidan will brief his counterparts on Türkiye’s diplomatic engagement with both warring sides.
He will underscore Ankara’s urgent appeal to prevent the conflict from spilling into the Black Sea, outlining concrete proposals to avoid future maritime incidents while reiterating Türkiye’s readiness to facilitate a diplomatic end to the war.