Main political events in Türkiye in the last week.
Main political events in Türkiye in the last week.
The main topic on Türkiye’s agenda last week was President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s trip to New York to attend the 80th United Nations General Assembly and the meetings he held on that occasion.
The most prominent item in Erdoğan’s New York program was his meeting with United States President Donald Trump at the White House and, in that context, the comprehensive agreements signed between Türkiye and the United States.
Emphasis on Gaza in Erdoğan’s United Nations address
In his speech at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, President Erdoğan’s central theme was the genocide carried out by Israel in Gaza.
During his address, Erdoğan also showed photographs of the genocide in Gaza to those present in the General Assembly Hall. He touched as well on issues such as Syria, the Russia–Ukraine war, and the recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
In the sections of his speech concerning Israel’s ongoing genocide in Palestine, Erdoğan used the following expressions:
“At the very beginning of my address, at a time when Palestine is being recognized by an increasing number of countries, I wish to express my sorrow that the President of the State of Palestine, Mr. Mahmut Abbas, is not personally among us today. We are here at this rostrum today also to give voice to the sentiments of the Palestinian people, whose voices are tried to be silenced. I thank all the countries that have announced they will recognize the State of Palestine, and I call on those states that have not yet taken this decision to act without delay.”
Reminding that the mission of the United Nations is to ensure international peace and security, Erdoğan continued his speech as follows: “Yes, while we are celebrating in this hall the 80th birthday of the United Nations, grave incidents are unfolding in many parts of the world that cast a shadow over the very first words of Article 1 of the Charter. Especially in Gaza, a genocide has been continuing before our very eyes for more than 700 days. Even as we meet, civilians are being killed in Gaza at this very moment. The number of civilians who have died in Gaza has exceeded 65,000. It is still not known how many bodies lie beneath the rubble. More than 20,000 of the dead are children. For the past 23 months, every hour a child has been mercilessly torn from life in Gaza by Israel. These are not numbers, friends; each is a life, an innocent human being. At this moment, people are being killed not only with weapons but with the weapon of hunger. In the 21st century, under the gaze of the civilized world, 428 people, 146 of them children, have died of starvation, and the number is increasing by the day.”
Erdoğan continued as follows: “Here in America, in Europe, and everywhere in the world, if a small thorn pricks a child’s hand, parents’ hearts burn; yet in Gaza, children’s hands, arms, and legs are being amputated without anesthesia. No one should take offense, but this is the lowest point of humanity. Human history has not seen such barbarity in the past century. Everything is unfolding before our eyes. The genocide in Gaza is being broadcast live at every moment through the social media. Israel has so far deliberately killed 250 journalists working in national and international media in Gaza and has banned all entries into Gaza. Yet even so, it has not been able to conceal the genocide. I wholeheartedly support Secretary-General Mr. Guterres, who at every opportunity draws attention to the genocide continuing on Palestinian soil, and I once again congratulate him for his courage. However, the United Nations has unfortunately been unable even to protect its own staff in Gaza. Five hundred people rushing to help others in Gaza have been killed. Of these, 326 were UN personnel.”
Noting that Israel’s aggressiveness has spread to the entire region, Erdoğan used the following expressions: “Israel is not confined to Gaza and the West Bank; by carrying out attacks against Syria, Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon, it is also threatening regional peace. (…) The attack targeting Qatar has shown that the Israeli government has completely lost control. It has once again become clear that Netanyahu has no intention either of making peace or of rescuing the hostages. Not only its neighbors but all the countries in the Middle East are being subjected to the reckless threats of the Israeli government. Let us also recognize this: as a result of Israel’s increasing aggressiveness, the values that emerged in the West, especially in Europe, after the Second World War have suffered very severe damage.”
Erdoğan also addressed world leaders in his speech: “I appeal to all world leaders: now is the time. Today is the day to stand tall, for the sake of humanity, alongside the oppressed Palestinians. While your peoples protest the barbarity in Gaza, come, step by step, and show your courage. Fulfill your human duty toward Gaza, where children are raising children.”
Erdoğan also touched on developments in Syria: “Just as we are raising our voices today for the oppressed people of Gaza, for 13 years we have drawn attention to the cries of the Syrians. Here, too, we have been their voice and breath. The tyranny that took the lives of 1 million people and forced millions to leave their homeland has, with the December 8 revolution, thankfully now been consigned to history. (…) I believe that the Syrian people, who have prevailed against a bloodstained regime, will, God willing, bring to fruition the victory they have won at great cost. We will support with all our means a vision of a secure, united, and integrated Syria, free of all forms of terrorism, above all ISIS.”
Erdoğan referred to developments in Iran and Iraq and to the Development Road Project with the following words: “We hope that the nuclear dossier concerning our neighbor Iran will be resolved as soon as possible by diplomatic means. It should not be forgotten that our region cannot bear yet another crisis. The stability, security, and prosperity of our neighbor Iraq are of paramount importance for the well-being of our region. In this regard, we attach great importance to strategic initiatives that prioritize collective prosperity, such as the Development Road Project.”
Erdoğan offered assessments regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine as well. He said: “To our north, both our neighbors Russia and Ukraine, we are hosting the Istanbul Process with great eagerness. Thanks to direct talks, we have mediated the exchange of a large number of prisoners and mortal remains. We have sought to determine the modalities of peace negotiations between the parties. Remember: ‘There is no winner in war, and no loser in a just peace.’ Guided by this maxim, we will continue in the period ahead to strive for a ceasefire.”
In the final part of his speech, Erdoğan called on the states of the world to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. He said: “We wish to see the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean as a basin of stability and prosperity in which the legitimate interests of all concerned parties are respected. We are ready for constructive cooperation on every matter, above all energy and the environment. We expect the same from our neighbors. On this occasion, I would particularly like to emphasize here that projects in the Eastern Mediterranean that exclude Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus cannot succeed. To the west of the Island of Cyprus, Türkiye has rights and jurisdiction; in the areas around the island, the Turkish Cypriots have legitimate rights. The Eastern Mediterranean Conference we have previously proposed will contribute to finding common ground. A solution to the Cyprus Issue cannot be built on the exhausted federation model that has been tried many times before but has been exhausted due to the intransigent stance of the Greek Cypriot side. There are two separate states and two separate peoples on the Island of Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriots are co-owners of the island and will not accept being a minority. The international community must now put an end to the unjust isolation to which the Turkish Cypriots have been subjected for half a century. I repeat the call I have made at the last three United Nations General Assemblies and once again invite the international community to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and to establish diplomatic, political, and economic relations.”
In the final part of Erdoğan’s address from the UN rostrum, the microphone being cut off brought sabotage allegations to the agenda. These claims were denied by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, which stated that the microphone was muted under standard procedure because Erdoğan’s speech exceeded five minutes.
Erdoğan’s meetings and engagements in New York
While in New York to attend the UN General Assembly, President Erdoğan held numerous meetings and participated in various events.
On 22 September in New York, Erdoğan attended the Turkish Investment Conference organized by the Türkiye–U.S. Business Council in a sectoral roundtable format.
In his speech at the conference, Erdoğan addressed commercial relations between Türkiye and the United States, as well as cooperation with the U.S. in the fields of energy and the defense industry. Erdoğan stated, jointly with Trump, that they are targeting a trade volume of $100 billion between Türkiye and the United States.
As part of his New York visit, Erdoğan also attended a dinner hosted by the Turkish-American National Steering Committee (TASC).
At the dinner, President Erdoğan said: “We are continuing our efforts to advance Turkish–American relations on the basis of alliance and strategic partnership. In President Trump’s second term, our contacts with every level of the administration have begun to intensify, and the constructive dialogue between our institutions has gained momentum.”
Erdoğan also participated in the High-Level International Conference on Palestine organized by the United Nations, where he said in his speech: “I congratulate the countries that have decided to recognize the State of Palestine. I hope this step, and the initiatives that follow, will bring the two-state solution to life and accelerate its implementation.”
Erdoğan also attended the UN Climate Summit.
Another important meeting Erdoğan took part in concerned Gaza. Held in the UN building and closed to the press, the meeting included, in addition to Türkiye and the United States, heads of state or government representing Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, and Egypt.
Erdoğan also held high-level bilateral contacts in New York.
In this context, Erdoğan first met with the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa.
Meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Erdoğan said that Türkiye and Canada, as significant NATO allies, play an important role in the security of the Euro-Atlantic region.
Erdoğan also stated that he welcomed Canada’s decision to recognize Palestine as a state.
Another high-level meeting Erdoğan held was with Kuwait’s Crown Prince, Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. It was reflected in the press that the talks addressed relations between Türkiye and Kuwait in various areas, particularly trade.
In his meeting with the Kuwaiti Crown Prince, Erdoğan also touched on Israel’s massacres against Palestinians and called on Islamic countries to adopt a common stance on Palestine.
Following his address to the UN General Assembly, Erdoğan met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. It was shared with the press that the meeting addressed the situation in Gaza and the need for revision within the UN system.
As part of his meetings, Erdoğan also met with Libya’s Presidential Council Chairman Mohamed al-Menfi, Syrian President Shara, French President Macron, and Vietnam’s President Luong Cuong.
Comprehensive agreements between Türkiye and the United States
As part of his contacts in the United States, Erdoğan also held a comprehensive meeting with Donald Trump in Washington.
The meeting at the White House lasted two hours and twenty minutes.
Before the meeting, in the Oval Office, the two leaders answered questions from members of the press.
Before taking questions, Trump noted that he had long been friends with Erdoğan and used the following expressions: “He is a very respected man, highly respected in his own country, across all of Europe, and all over the world (…) he has built a tremendous military (…) We are going to have important meetings today. We do a high volume of trade with Türkiye and we will continue to do so, and we will even do additional business. Türkiye wants to buy F-16s, F-35s, and other things; we will discuss that with them.”
Describing Erdoğan as a “tough and stubborn” man, Trump added: “I generally don’t like stubborn people, but I have always liked him. He is a tough man and he is doing great things in his country. We have a tremendous relationship both in war and in trade, and today we will talk about both.”
Trump, for his part, stated that on the margins of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly they had a very good meeting with President Erdoğan and other leaders on Gaza, adding: “I think we are about to reach some kind of agreement.”
Emphasizing that he wanted the crisis in Gaza to end and all hostages to be released, Trump said: “We had a great meeting with leaders in the Middle East on Gaza. We want to get all the hostages back. I think we are very close to reaching an agreement.” Noting that they had important contacts with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and some other countries in the region in addition to Türkiye, Trump said he will speak with Israel thereafter and hopes to achieve a concrete outcome on Gaza.
Claiming that Erdoğan was “responsible for the victory” in Syria, Trump said: “This was a victory for Türkiye (…) President Erdoğan is the person responsible for the success in the struggle to overthrow the former leader in Syria.”
The U.S. President made the following assessments regarding Türkiye’s role in the process that took place in Syria:
“They’ve been trying to do this for 2,000 years. He [Erdoğan] did it. That is, your surrogates did it. I think you should take the credit for this. I lifted the sanctions so that Syria could breathe because the sanctions were very heavy. He [Erdoğan] was responsible for that victory. This was a victory for Türkiye. Erdoğan is responsible for it, which is why he has a lot to say on Syria. But at Erdoğan’s request I lifted the sanctions. I also did this at the request of the King of Saudi Arabia. Qatar also said that if you could lift the sanctions, it would be good, the sanctions were very heavy. They could not live with those sanctions. And I lifted the sanctions to give them a chance to breathe. But the President [Erdoğan] was one of the people responsible for this.”
Answering a question about previous U.S. administrations’ refusal to sell Patriot missiles to Türkiye and about the F-35s, Trump said, “We will discuss this. We will also discuss the F-35s. I know he wants the F-35s; we take this very seriously. They have some concrete needs, and we have some concrete needs. We will reach a conclusion; at the end of the day you will learn these.”
In response to a question about when the CAATSA sanctions on Türkiye would be lifted, Trump signaled that the sanctions could be removed, saying, “It could be very soon. We will have a discussion on this matter shortly.”
To a question regarding the vulnerability of NATO member states’ airspace in the context of the Russia–Ukraine war and what kind of cooperation could be undertaken between the United States and Türkiye on this issue, Trump replied that defense spending by NATO countries must increase and cooperation must be strengthened.
Answering a question about the course of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Trump said: “President Erdoğan is highly respected by both [Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy]. Everyone respects Erdoğan. They really respect Erdoğan. So do I. I think he can have a major impact if he wishes. Right now he is very neutral. He likes being neutral. I like being neutral too. If he is to get involved in this process, the best thing he can do would be not to buy oil and gas from Russia.”
The meeting was attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan; National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler; Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar; National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Director İbrahim Kalın; the President’s Chief Advisor on Foreign Policy and Security Akif Çağatay Kılıç; and Türkiye’s Ambassador to the United States Sedat Önal.
Before the meeting, remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack that “we gave him [Erdogan] legitimacy,” and by U.S. Secretary of State Rubio that “they are begging us for the meeting,” drew reactions in Türkiye.
Another issue that drew criticism in Türkiye was the broad agreements Türkiye concluded with the United States. In addition to an LNG agreement, Türkiye reached deals covering cooperation in the nuclear field and the purchase of 200 Boeing aircraft.
Furthermore, the additional customs duties applied to U.S.-origin products were lifted ahead of the Trump–Erdoğan meeting.
CHP leader Özgür Özel, recalling the concessions granted to the United States, said, “Türkiye has turned from a strategic ally into a lucrative customer.” Harshly criticizing Erdoğan, Özel added, “You have given away everything we had.”
Özel also criticized Erdoğan for not addressing the Palestinian issue in his meeting with Trump. “In that meeting there was the ‘B’ of Boeing, the ‘R’ of the Ruhban Okulu [Halki Seminary], the ‘L’ of LNG, but no ‘G’ of Gaza. Aren’t you ashamed? There was no ‘F’ of Filistin (Palestine) in the meeting,” he said. Özel stated that concessions were made to the United States regarding the lifting of tariffs on American products, Boeing aircraft orders, the LNG agreement, cooperation on rare earth elements, a memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy, and the Heybeliada Ruhban Okulu (Halki Seminary).
Criticizing as well the U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Barrack’s remark that “we gave [Erdoğan] legitimacy,” Özel said: “If you do not govern democratically, you do not have legitimacy. But if you take the LNG, take the Boeing, give the concessions, make the nuclear agreement, hand over the rare elements, they will grant you ‘legitimacy.’”
The governing coalition partner MHP’s leader Devlet Bahçeli, for his part, made no statement regarding the Erdoğan–Trump meeting, reiterating his call for the establishment of an alliance among Türkiye, Russia, and China.
MHP Deputy Group Chair and Manisa MP Erkan Akçay said the meeting “made them hopeful for the future,” adding that “the agreements to be concluded will be to the benefit of both countries.”
The Vatan Party leader Doğu Perinçek also had the Erdoğan–Trump meeting and Barrack’s “legitimacy” statement on his agenda.
Perinçek called on Türkiye to protest the U.S. government and to declare the U.S. Ambassador in Ankara, Barrack, persona non grata and expel him. Perinçek summarized his position as follows:
“U.S. President Trump says he has given our President Tayyip Erdoğan the ‘legitimacy he so badly needed.’ The U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Barrack made this impertinence of Trump’s, praising it as ‘ingenious’, public to the world on Wednesday, 24 September 2025. According to Trump, Türkiye’s administration is ‘not democratic, it is autocratic.’ The U.S. administration, imagining itself capable of implementing grand solutions, has presumed to rescue the Tayyip Erdoğan government from this illegitimate situation.
Barrack’s statement yesterday, to the effect that he used the word ‘legitimacy’ in the sense of ‘respect,’ continues this insolence.
First, the one who said he gave our President ‘legitimacy’ is Trump, not Barrack. If there is to be a correction, it should be made by Trump.
Second, the President of the United States cannot give ‘respectability’ to the President of Türkiye. The Turkish President’s respectability cannot be sourced from the United States.
Third, when U.S. President Trump says he ‘gave legitimacy’ to the President of Türkiye, he first states that Türkiye is governed by an ‘autocratic’ regime. Therefore, the status said to be granted here is not respectability but ‘legitimacy.’”
Perinçek continued:
“The honor of the President of Türkiye is the honor of our entire nation; it is all of our honor. Such ill-mannered behavior cannot be overlooked! One cannot remain silent in the face of these insults!
Efforts to cover up insolence and presumptuousness are attitudes alien to our millennia-old state tradition. Commentaries aimed at deceiving our nation and ourselves are, beyond flattery, degrading to dignity.
Our nation expects the Tayyip Erdoğan government to give the necessary response to this grave insult. We, the Vatan Party, representing the honor of the Turkish State inherited from history on behalf of the Turkish nation, vehemently protest Trump’s insolence and presumptuousness.
The President of Türkiye derives his ‘legitimacy’ not from the U.S. President but from the Turkish nation. The sole source of legitimacy for the Government of the Republic of Türkiye and its President is the Turkish nation.
Türkiye won its national sovereignty in the War of Independence under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Pasha. Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the Turkish Nation and cannot be shared with the United States. Defending the fundamental principles and institutions of the Republic of Türkiye, such as the national will, is not done with words. Those who remain silent represent not the national will but non-national submission.”
Perinçek called for a diplomatic note to be delivered to the United States and stated:
“The State of the Republic of Türkiye should immediately issue a Note to the U.S. State, strongly condemning Trump’s insolence. The U.S. Ambassador in Ankara, Barrack, who made public to the world Trump’s impertinence that he ‘gave legitimacy’ to our President Tayyip Erdoğan, should immediately be declared persona non grata and expelled for this impertinence and disrespect. Another U.S. statesman, claiming that Turkish leaders ‘begged’ them for a meeting, expressed the U.S. imperialist view of the Tayyip Erdoğan administration with an arrogance befitting imperialism. On television, disgraceful scenes are being displayed in which Trump is almost ‘honoring’ representatives of the Turkish government by patting their cheeks. In the face of these insults, it is now shameful to be debating F-35s, F-16s, and the like. The Turkish State has arrived at today with a tradition of living independent and state dignity drawn from thousands of years of history.”
Zafer Party leader Ümit Özdağ drew attention to Trump’s remark toward Erdoğan that “he knows rigged elections well,” saying this was no coincidence, and added: “This statement will bring much debate in the period ahead, both internationally and within Türkiye.”