Turkish foreign minister to host Balkan Peace Platform meeting at Antalya Diplomacy Forum

ANKARA

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will host a Balkan Peace Platform meeting on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) in Antalya, southern Türkiye on Saturday, according to diplomatic sources.

Representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia are expected to attend the meeting, the sources said.

Participants are expected to review decisions taken at previous meetings, including strengthening coordination on EU matters such as connectivity and membership processes, enhancing cooperation in disaster response, and advancing joint projects in youth and technology.

Consultations on recent developments in the Balkans are also planned.

Discussions are also expected to cover additional opportunities to deepen and diversify regional cooperation, the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war and their regional implications, and an exchange of views on developments in the Mideast, including Türkiye's efforts to help end the war.

The Balkan Peace Platform, established under Türkiye's leadership, held its first meeting on July 26, 2025, and its second on Jan. 23 in Istanbul.

The platform was launched to complement Türkiye's multilateral engagement in the region and promote direct, result-oriented dialogue based on regional ownership.

Türkiye's multilateral cooperation in Balkans

Türkiye actively contributes to the South-East European Cooperation Process, the only platform bringing together 13 Balkan countries.

The Türkiye-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Croatia and Türkiye-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Serbia trilateral consultation mechanisms, established under Türkiye's leadership, reflect Ankara's emphasis on dialogue, reconciliation, and confidence-building in the Balkans.

Türkiye also continues to contribute to regional security and stability through participation in military missions such as NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) and EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Türkiye last October took command of KFOR from Italy for a one-year term.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Demir in Istanbul