- Türkiye is a ‘highly valuable partner,’ says Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna
- Foreign ministers from 8 countries to convene Monday in Istanbul on Gaza roadmap, says Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan
ISTANBUL
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, saying Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is clearly seeking excuses to violate the ceasefire and restart the genocide before the eyes of the entire world.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna in Ankara, Fidan said: “For the sake of preserving hope for lasting peace and ensuring regional security, Israel must abide by the ceasefire.”
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said: “The humanitarian situation in Gaza is truly catastrophic,” and stressed that “significant pressure must be applied on Israel.”
Referring to the ceasefire and the process of releasing detainees currently in effect in Gaza, Tsahkna said Estonia has consistently supported a two-state solution, recalling that Tallinn backs United Nations resolutions related to Palestine and is a party to the New York Declaration.
Tsahkna underlined that Estonia continues delivering humanitarian assistance to Gaza through the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and other organizations.
He added that in order to sustain peace efforts in Gaza, other countries besides Türkiye must also continue applying pressure.
Fidan said that by signing the Sharm el-Sheikh Declaration, Türkiye has assumed an important responsibility, adding that Ankara is working in close contact and coordination with all relevant countries to ensure the ceasefire becomes permanent.
He said: "The signatures in Sharm el-Sheikh represented the highest level of political consensus. The fact that President Erdogan, President Trump and the other guarantor states signed it marked a historic turning point.”
Fidan said efforts are ongoing to maintain the Gaza ceasefire and ensure aid delivery, but noted that Israel is still blocking the level of humanitarian assistance needed.
He stressed that it is crucial for the international community to convey the necessary messages to Israel in this regard.
“Our humanitarian assistance to Gaza also continues uninterrupted. Officials from our Health Ministry, AFAD and the Turkish Red Crescent are carrying out relief efforts in Rafah. Our humanitarian aid ship carrying 900 tons of supplies reached Egypt’s Al-Arish Port on Oct. 17, and preparations for the next humanitarian mission will, God willing, be completed soon," said Fidan.
He added that Türkiye has already mobilized all available means to bring Palestinian brothers and sisters to the country for treatment. “We will continue doing everything in our power for the reconstruction of Gaza, and we believe that through patience and solidarity, Gaza will rise again,” he said.
Foreign ministers to meet in Istanbul on Gaza roadmap
Fidan also stated that foreign ministers from eight countries will meet in Istanbul on Nov. 3 to review progress on Gaza and discuss next steps.
He recalled the September meeting in New York with US President Trump, where leaders from Türkiye, Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Pakistan and Egypt voiced a shared position that helped lay the foundation for the Gaza peace plan.
He noted the plan offers a hope for resolving the crisis, adding that Monday’s talks will address remaining obstacles, coordination with Western partners and US support. Fidan stressed they are working intensively and that the process “cannot be left unattended even for a second.”
'Türkiye continues to be a highly valuable and strong partner for Estonia'
Referring to the EU’s European Security Action Programme (SAFE), Tsahkna said Estonia fully backs Türkiye’s inclusion in the next EU budget, stressing the importance of working with reliable partners beyond the bloc.
He underlined Türkiye’s role as a stabilizing power in the region, saying the initiative “would not be complete without Türkiye,” and noting shared goals in strengthening defense capabilities and regional security.
Tsahkna also congratulated Türkiye on Republic Day and highlighted rapidly developing ties, saying: “Türkiye continues to be a highly valuable and strong partner for Estonia.”
Tsahkna said Estonian-Turkish relations are advancing rapidly and underscored the importance of the territorial integrity of Tallinn. He recalled that when Russian aircraft violated Estonian and NATO airspace, Türkiye stood by Estonia at NATO and the UN Security Council from the very first moment.
He also underscored Türkiye’s strategic importance on NATO’s eastern flank and noted that Ankara will again participate in next year’s air policing mission, adding that Estonia is making major defense purchases from Türkiye, which he called a “highly reliable partner.”
Fidan, on that part, emphasized that they also discussed the contributions they could make to improving regional connectivity, noting that Türkiye became a strategic partner of the Three Seas Initiative in April. He added that they attach special importance to potential joint projects with Estonia within this framework.
Tsahkna highlighted their shared principled stance on global issues and said cooperation in fields such as digitalization, energy, education and tourism will continue. He thanked Türkiye for supporting Ukraine and stressed that peace with Russia remains difficult, pointing to ongoing European sanctions.
Fidan also stressed that a fair and lasting solution is needed to end the Russia-Ukraine war, noting that there are challenges to peace talks, but these should not hinder diplomatic efforts and that Türkiye will continue to support negotiations.
Türkiye to revive EU talks with backing from Estonia, Germany
The Estonian minister reiterated Estonia’s backing for Türkiye’s EU bid and stressed Europe must work together to meet global security and economic challenges. Referring to his recent visit to Azerbaijan, he praised Türkiye’s role in regional peace and securing trade routes independent of Russia, saying Estonia stands with Türkiye.
He added that Türkiye aims to join the EU but still needs time, adding that both sides must sit down again to discuss the process.
Fidan, for his part, recalled President Erdogan’s consistent commitment to Türkiye-EU relations and said the accession process could progress if the EU shows similar resolve. He thanked Estonia for its long-standing support and noted that they discussed updating the customs union, reviving the visa dialogue, and addressing visa difficulties faced by Turkish citizens.
Fidan further stressed the importance of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit, saying Erdogan and Merz reaffirming their commitment to Türkiye’s EU membership was a key recent development in Ankara-EU ties.
He welcomed Merz’s positive support and added that Türkiye is pursuing a renewed approach to EU relations and said Türkiye, the UK, the EU and Norway should discuss a new European security architecture.
Fidan said they also discussed Syria, noting that Türkiye supports peace and stability there and is carrying out concrete projects in areas like transport, health and energy.
He emphasized that sustainable development depends on security and said full implementation of the March 10 agreement, which safeguards Syria’s territorial integrity, is essential for the country’s future.