• President Trump’s declaration that he would not allow the annexation of the West Bank was actually a historic turning point,’ says Hakan Fidan
• There is always possibility that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will ‘sabotage’ Trump’s Gaza peace plan, Fidan warns
• ‘Our border with Syria and everything beyond it is directly linked to our national security,’ says Fidan

ISTANBUL 

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan praised the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla on Saturday as “a rare and noble action,” urging global support to raise international awareness of the genocide against Palestinians.

“This is a noble action. Creating international awareness to prevent the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to support the Palestinian cause is currently our greatest weapon. Frankly, this is what we are doing in international diplomacy,” Fidan told Turkish broadcaster TRT News.

After the flotilla set sail, Türkiye established a coordination mechanism with several countries and issued a statement with 17 nations on Sept. 16 to send a unified message and apply international pressure, he said.

Türkiye sent the message that flotilla participants were not alone, and noted that navigational safety was crucial after departure, said Fidan, with the Turkish Navy coordinating with aerial surveillance and naval forces in the region, especially from Spain and Italy.  

Türkiye's efforts in securing release of activists detained by Israel

Israeli naval forces attacked and seized vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla late Wednesday and detained more than 470 activists from over 50 countries as they sailed to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge Israel’s blockade of the enclave.

It was the first time in nearly two decades since the blockade began that dozens of vessels simultaneously sailed toward Gaza in a coordinated attempt to break Israel’s siege of the coastal enclave, home to about 2.4 million Palestinians.

“After these noble activists were detained, we needed to take an operational step as soon as possible to end their captivity,” said Fidan.

He said they contacted Israeli authorities and security officials through the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). He said defense products have been used for years by MIT, with data shared with engineers and companies.

Fidan added that the Turkish charge d’affaires at the local embassy also communicated with authorities, and through the efforts of many behind the scenes, the Turkish nationals and some foreign activists, following requests from their countries, were brought Saturday to Türkiye.

Urging states to support the flotilla “to the fullest extent possible,” Fidan said some activists remained behind and will face a procedural trial. He has hope they will be released within a few days at the latest. 

'A historic turning point' on Palestinian issue

Stressing that the Turkish government takes the Palestinian issue seriously and follows it with great diligence, Fidan said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s sensitivity to the matter is at the highest level.

He highlighted that the international community has always viewed the Palestinian issue as a shared problem and noted that at a joint summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League, Türkiye joined six other countries to form a group to mobilize a collective effort.

Fidan said eight countries representing Muslims met US President Donald Trump in New York, where they told Trump that “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must be stopped.”

“President Trump’s declaration that he would not allow the annexation of the West Bank was actually a historic turning point, both in terms of relations among the United States, Palestine, and Israel, and in the message the United States sent to the Islamic world and the rest of the world regarding the Palestinian issue,” he noted.

Fidan said there is always a possibility that Netanyahu will “sabotage” Trump’s plan, and he believes that the intention is present, emphasizing the need for the US’ seriousness and determination.

He added that Türkiye’s diplomatic focus is keeping the US on track, which is why it is crucial for certain leaders, along with Erdogan, to urge Trump to stay committed “for the sake of world peace and regional peace.”

Fidan said Hamas’ negotiation approach, reflected in its response to Trump’s ceasefire proposal, was “commendable,” and was not a categorical rejection but a conciliatory stance that respects the mediator’s efforts while clearly stating what the Palestinian people cannot accept and what is impossible.

He said the issue demands continuous, serious and professional efforts to keep it on the international agenda, with Erdogan leading visible and behind-the-scenes coordination, much of it confidential, and expressed hope to push it further.  

Need for 'regional stability pact'

Fidan said the root cause of the long-standing conflicts in the region, as well as regional and external interventions, is the inability of countries in the region to cooperate with each other, and the presence of a certain level of mistrust.

“We need a regional stability pact, platform, agreement, or convention. Its primary purpose is not deterrence; its secondary purpose is deterrence. Its main goal is to establish absolute trust among the countries in the region,” he stressed.

The aim is to prevent external interventions and terrorist exploitation of mistrust, he said, adding that when an external actor is invited into the region, it often leaves the region in a worse state.

Addressing Israel’s aggressive stance toward many countries, Fidan said even its unconditional supporters no longer want to appear united on the issue, and noted that security agreements were signed between some countries following the attacks.  

Turkish president's 'historic' US visit

Fidan described Erdogan’s visit to Washington as a “historic moment” in Türkiye-US ties and leadership diplomacy, highlighting how, amid challenging global conditions, the two leaders rose above issues with a broad strategic vision to reshape their relationship beyond themselves, extending between their countries in a “rare occurrence.”

“In the end, there was unanimous agreement that the visit was a complete success,” he added.

Highlighting the “strong will” between Türkiye and US leaders, Fidan said after Trump called Erdogan to request his attention on a ceasefire with Hamas, the Palestinian resistance group responded positively to Trump’s proposal shortly afterward.  

Lifting sanctions on Turkish defense industry

Responding to a question about the US lifting defense industry restrictions on Türkiye and statements regarding the national combat aircraft, KAAN, as well as related disinformation, Fidan said Türkiye’s national security issue far exceeds disinformation campaigns.

He said he has been a first-hand witness to the work of thousands of engineers over the years, emphasizing that many defense industry companies in Türkiye have been engaged in the effort for years, with the localization rate increasing from 20% to 80%. He called it a development that should not be underestimated.

He said defense products have been used for years by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with data shared with engineers and companies.

Fidan highlighted that Ankara has been working for two years to lift restrictions and sanctions.

He said some restrictions have been lifted from Canada, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium, adding most issues with Germany have largely been resolved, and some restrictions remain from the US while others have been lifted.

Pointing to his "duty" to try to lift the sanctions, Fidan said: “If the other side cannot provide a reasonable explanation while I’m trying to lift these sanctions and we can’t make progress, national security will require us to get it elsewhere, and the other party needs to understand that.”  

Syria ‘directly linked’ to Turkish national security

Touching on Sunday’s People’s Assembly election through delegates in Syria, Fidan called it "an important step and the second significant move after the government’s declaration of a new life and system in Syria, essentially marking institutionalization."

Highlighting the strategic importance of the government’s declaration, the upcoming elections, and the formation of a parliament that will serve a four-year term, Fidan said: “The elements currently threatening Syria’s physical integrity and posing a risk of division must be eliminated. The YPG (PKK, known locally as the SDF) needs to openly declare its intentions and reach an agreement with Damascus. Meanwhile, the Druze issue in the south must be resolved in a way that both sides can accept, without endangering the country’s unity.”

Highlighting Israel as the country with the greatest potential to further destabilize the situation in Syria, Fidan said Türkiye cannot accept any fait accompli or other initiatives that would lead to Syria’s division.

“Our border with Syria and everything beyond it is directly linked to our national security,” he underscored.

Fidan emphasized the need for a Syria with maintained national unity and cohesion, noting that regional countries, especially Saudi Arabia, continue to cooperate and contribute to Syria.

He highlighted the need for the further lifting of US sanctions on Syria and additional steps by the EU, adding that it could remove financial and investment barriers, support a certain level of refugee return and contribute to Syria’s economic recovery, which Ankara hopes to continue.

Fidan stressed that diplomatic efforts must continue to mitigate risks to Syria’s territorial integrity, cautioning that without a secure future for Syria, investment, political stability and refugee returns cannot take place, calling it a precarious and high-risk environment that must be avoided.

He said Syria’s leadership is strong and internationally recognized, highlighting that for the first time in more than 50 years, a Syrian leader addressed the UN General Assembly, marking an exceptionally important milestone.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani held important talks in New York, Fidan said, adding that Shaibani is expected to visit Türkiye on Wednesday.  

Russia-Ukraine war headed toward resolution amid escalation

Fidan said Türkiye continued parallel talks with Russia and Ukraine as Moscow clarified its ceasefire conditions during talks in the US state of Alaska, which Trump relayed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders.

Both sides have since escalated the conflict with increased readiness and little willingness to compromise, he said.

Fidan said that “the problem is clear,” as in the Donetsk region, there remains roughly 25% to 30% that Russia has not captured, with Moscow pressing to take it, arguing that seizing it would prevent further losses, while Kyiv refuses, saying ceding it would open the door to losing more territory.

The military arguments on both sides must be reconciled, he added.

He said both sides have unacceptable demands, with Ukraine’s official territorial integrity being seriously threatened, which is a major concern, adding that the formula to end the conflict has already emerged and the parties are very close to a resolution.  

Unprecedented security threat for Europe

Europe is facing an unprecedented threat, Fidan said, citing recent NATO and allied reports of Russian airspace violations, with European countries publicly acknowledging the breaches to justify shifting more budget to defense, while Russia rejects those claims, leading to a heightened state of alert and increased focus on boosting military capabilities in Europe.

He said European countries under US security have long shifted budgets to infrastructure and welfare, but US demands for new security rules and cost-sharing have forced budget changes.

Fidan said Türkiye’s foreign policy was on autopilot during the Cold War, with the West not favoring it as an ally and the EU undervaluing its membership bid, leading to a shift toward a national policy after 2002.

He underlined that Türkiye has never been a destabilizing country.