Türkiye reaffirmed its commitment to advancing peace and stability across the region during a National Security Council (MGK) meeting on Thursday, highlighting its active diplomatic efforts from Gaza to the South Caucasus and its determination to combat terrorism at home and abroad.
In a seven-point statement released after the meeting, the council said members reviewed counterterrorism operations against the PKK and its offshoots, the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and Daesh, stressing that Türkiye continues domestic and cross-border efforts “with resolve and success” to protect national unity and security.
The MGK reiterated the goal of a “terror-free Türkiye,” emphasizing that terrorism and violence have no place in the region’s future. The terror-free initiative seeks to end the PKK’s terrorist campaign that has claimed more than 40,000 lives and to achieve complete disarmament by the end of 2025.
The council voiced satisfaction with progress in Syria and said Türkiye will continue supporting the peace, well-being and security of all segments of the “brotherly Syrian people.”
On Gaza, the statement emphasized that the cease-fire – which Türkiye helped design – is vital to stopping Israel’s ongoing atrocities, urging Israel to immediately halt violations and meet its obligations. Türkiye, it added, is prepared to take on responsibilities in mechanisms that will guarantee stability in Gaza and contribute to rebuilding the devastated enclave.
On Tuesday, the head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Ibrahim Kalın, visited Egypt to discuss the second phase of the Gaza cease-fire. He held a meeting with Egypt’s intelligence director Hasan Mahmud Rashad and Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, to discuss efforts to sustain the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, amid Israel’s violations.
Developments in Sudan were also assessed, with the council calling for urgent steps by regional and international actors to end violence against civilians and support the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On the Russia–Ukraine War, the MGK stressed the growing risk of escalation and underscored the importance of diplomatic initiatives, saying Türkiye will continue working with global partners to pursue a just and lasting peace.
On Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, promising Türkiye’s commitment to efforts for a fair and lasting peace. The U.S. blindsided Kyiv and European countries with a 28-point peace plan last week, giving Ukraine until Thursday to agree to a framework to end Europe’s deadliest war since World War II. Türkiye maintains good relations with both Russia and Ukraine, and accelerated efforts to resolve the conflict as a peace plan offered by the U.S. is up for debate nowadays.
The statement also welcomed recent positive momentum in talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia, noting expanding opportunities for bilateral and regional cooperation. Türkiye reaffirmed its commitment to securing lasting peace and development across the South Caucasus.
Armenia and Türkiye-backed Azerbaijan have been embroiled in a decades-long conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, a majority-Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan. In August 2025, the leaders of the two countries signed a joint declaration on a peace treaty.
