Mustafa Kirikcioglu, Gizem Nisa Demir and Esra Tekin
15 April 2026•Update: 15 April 2026
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that Türkiye is making “necessary appeals and initiatives” to reduce tensions, extend the current two-week Mideast ceasefire, and continue talks over US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
“The Israeli government, which is known to be unhappy with the ceasefire process, must not be allowed to sabotage it,” Erdogan told his Justice and Development (AK) Party’s parliamentary group meeting.
“Negotiations cannot be held with clenched fists. Weapons must not be allowed to speak again instead of words. The window of opportunity opened by the ceasefire must be utilized,” he said.
Saying that pointless wars leave many losers, while a just peace creates many winners, the Turkish leader urged everyone to approach the process from that perspective
Touching on the complexities of some issues, he voiced hope that many problems can be overcome through a long-term focus on the benefits of peace, dialogue, and diplomacy.
Erdogan also praised Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, saying he “congratulates from the heart my dear friend Sanchez, who has taken a firm stance against the threats of the butcher Netanyahu in Gaza.”
On regional stability, he said: “If there is to be peace in our region, it will be despite the Zionist regime. If stability is achieved, it will again be despite the Israeli government.”
“We will continue to call the oppressor an oppressor, the pirate a pirate, and the killer a killer, and to be the voice of the children of Gaza and to listen to the cries of mothers whose hearts are burning,” he added.
Erdogan said Türkiye would also “continue to defend the rights of our brothers whose lands are occupied in the West Bank and to be the follower of the cause of children killed in their sleep in Lebanon.”
“We are always ready to be the voice of peace and to lead peace efforts with the principle of peace at home, peace in the region, and peace in the world,” he stressed.
On Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's criticism directed at him and Türkiye, Erdogan said: “I remind the baby killers who speak against me and our country of some facts: The Republic of Türkiye is not an ordinary state.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Saturday slammed Netanyahu for remarks targeting Erdogan, saying such misguided comments are the result of "the discomfort caused by the truths we express on every platform."
Netanyahu is called the Adolf Hitler of this era due to his crimes and is known for his recorded deeds, said the ministry in a statement.
Noting that the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity, the statement warned about Netanyahu's attempts to undermine the ongoing peace talks and continue his expansionist policies in the region.
The statement further reiterated Türkiye's determination in its efforts to hold Netanyahu accountable for his crimes, along with supporting innocent civilians.
Türkiye's energy independence
Erdogan highlighted Türkiye’s energy ambitions, saying the country has built the world’s fourth-largest deep-sea fleet and is already supplying natural gas from the Black Sea to 4 million households.
That figure, he said, is expected to rise to 8 million in 2026 and 16–17 million by 2028.
Erdogan announced that the ultra-deep-sea drilling ship Cagri Bey has arrived off the coast of Somalia to begin hydrocarbon exploration at the CURAD-1 well, following promising seismic research by the Oruc Reis vessel.
He said the mission reflects Türkiye’s growing ability to carry out major energy projects with its own ships, engineers, and workforce, while also supporting friendly and allied countries such as Somalia.
"We seek not to exploit, but to prosper together. We sincerely believe that the Cagri Bey will bring good news to our Somali brothers and sisters," he added.
