Europe should understand that it needs Türkiye given the current climate it is facing, Türkiye’s top diplomat said Friday.

"This is absolutely not an arrogant approach because Türkiye pulls the lead among countries making the most effective effort (in fighting terrorism)," Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told a conference titled "Türkiye’s Enterprising and Humanitarian Foreign Policy" in Istanbul as he highlighted the country’s global diplomacy in Asia and Europe.

Türkiye is a part of Europe, Çavuşoğlu said, even if its European Union membership process has been "stalled due to reasons stemming from the EU."

"Our goal has never changed and be it EU or not, we’re a part of the European continent," Çavuşoğlu stressed.

Referring to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, he said "no one would have thought five years, one year ago from now that a war would break out in the heart of Europe" as the continent has been facing "many struggles lately."

"We can see that, independently from this war, crises and trials around the world are also affecting Europe strongly. The economic crises, energy and food crises have only intensified this," Çavuşoğlu noted.

He went on to list the migrant problem, terrorism, which "also affects Türkiye," racist movements, Islamophobia, xenophobia and discrimination against the marginalized as prominent issues plaguing Europe.

"You can see the recent developments in Germany," Çavuşoğlu noted, referring to the far-right coup plot Germany quashed earlier this week in which federal police detained 25 members and supporters of a group devoted to Nazi ideas who were preparing a violent overthrow of the state to install as national leader a former prince of a royal German family.

"Therefore, European nations can now remember what Türkiye has gone through on July 15, 2016, as well as the coups and terrorist attacks in our past and understand we must unite behind this common cause. We say that at a time like this, Europe needs Türkiye," Çavuşoğlu said.

Türkiye has been leading the most effective fight on these fronts and making the most contributions out of all countries in Europe, the Turkish diplomat said.

"We discussed at the Conference of Ambassadors back in August the fact that Türkiye must refocus on Europe for the sake of stability and peace across the continent we reside in. We are now working toward this purpose," Çavuşoğlu noted.

The minister also called attention to the multifaceted approach of Turkish diplomacy that embraces the principle of "peace at home, peace in the world."

"We say ‘Asia again’ but our initiatives haven’t been only focused on Asia," he explained. "We have pushed for expansions in Africa and they have turned into partnerships. Our embassies have climbed from 12 to 44, our trade volume jumped to nearly $45 billion in the continent. Similarly, in Latin America, we have increased our embassies to 18 and a consulate. Today, we are nearing $20 billion in trade volume with Latin America. This isn’t limited to just the economy. It’s been highly influential in every field. We are working to both protect our interests in decision-making mechanisms and to create a fairer world," Çavuşoğlu said.

International relations and agendas are undergoing a rapid change, he added, noting that it is a change to which Türkiye "must adapt."

Türkiye has developed a reputation for its mediation and undertakes the role in various places worldwide, he said, particularly underlining Ankara’s role in the grain deal between Ukraine and Russia.

"Could it be possible without Türkiye? The U.N. secretary-general himself said it was the biggest achievement he made since coming into office. The prisoner exchange (between Russia and Ukraine) also took place thanks to Türkiye’s mediation efforts," Çavuşoğlu said.

"We have forged connections in transport and energy corridors, rebuilt the Silk Road and revived the Central Corridor," he said.

Additionally, he said that new opportunities emerged for the Turkic world following the Karabakh victory, Azerbaijan’s triumph over Armenian forces in a 44-day conflict over the Caucasus territory of Karabakh in the fall of 2020 during which Ankara was a major supporter of Baku.

"It’s obvious the Turkic world is regaining its self-confidence day by day. After Karabakh, the understanding among Turkic nations that Türkiye will stand by them if something happens is getting stronger," Çavuşoğlu said.

Turkic nations that share a culture, history and language family like Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan work to bolster their bond under the banner of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), an interstate bloc established with the aim of expanding cooperation between the Turkic-speaking countries in the fields of politics, economics, science, education, transport and tourism. Hungary, Turkmenistan and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) hold observer status in the bloc.