Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned about the risk of World War III, amid the escalation of regional crises and the threat of nuclear war, as he highlighted Türkiye's diplomatic priority of ensuring regional and global peace.
"I think the world needs to take this scenario, this threat seriously," Fidan told a live broadcast late Monday, in response to a question about whether the world should expect a bigger war, amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and Israel's atrocities in Gaza and recent attacks on Lebanon.
The top Turkish diplomat said Türkiye has been holding discussions with all actors regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, in addition to talks with President Vladimir Putin.
Fidan recently visited Moscow and held meetings with several Russian officials, including Putin. He told the live broadcast that he got the chance to discuss in detail President Erdoğan’s messages to his Russian counterpart, who may meet him in Kazakhstan soon.
He continued by highlighting strong Türkiye-Russia cooperation regarding Syria and bilateral trade and energy, as he said he conveyed Ankara’s position regarding the war with Ukraine, which he said could be costly for the region and the world, amid the risk of spillover and the use of nuclear weapons.
"We told our counterparts that peace is fundamental regarding the issue of Ukraine and that Russia needs to determine its stance," Fidan said, adding that Putin ended up announcing a list of necessary steps for Russia to end the war, shortly after two days discussing the issue.
"It was important for President Putin to voice this," Fidan said, as he added that there is always a ground for the negotiation process, which he said needs to be "assisted," but he pointed to the upcoming elections in Europe and the U.S., which are pushing the issue to be delayed.
Fidan also warned that there is no escape from the threat of nuclear weapons as long as the war keeps going, which could also spark other conflicts in the region.
He pointed to Türkiye’s location, as it faces the threat of the Russia-Ukraine war in the Black Sea basin and the Israeli threat in the eastern Mediterranean.
"Turkish diplomacy prioritizes efforts to end wars, and our president also has a will in this regard," Fidan said.
‘Greek Cyprus turned into base for Israel’
The top Turkish diplomat also warned about the Greek Cypriot administration, which allowed Israel to turn its part of the island into what he called "an operational base."
"Regional actors need to see militarization on the island and prevent it," he said, as he warned about the serious threat of spillover as long as Israel continues to carry out its genocide. He pointed to the recent escalation of tensions between Israel and Lebanon, as well as Lebanese actors' threats against Cyprus.
Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah last week said nowhere in Israel would be safe if a full-fledged war broke out between the two foes and also warned the Greek Cypriot administration against aiding Israel.
Tensions have soared along Lebanon's border with Israel amid cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
The Iran-backed group has said it would not stop until there is a cease-fire in Gaza, where Tel Aviv has killed more than 37,600 Palestinians since the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion.
Türkiye seeks to convince world powers to join it for a permanent solution to the ongoing conflict and Erdoğan made personal visits and held phone calls with leaders of the countries with a say over the matter, from Qatar and Egypt to Saudi Arabia and Russia to mobilize the international community.
International organizations, including U.N. agencies, have demanded a cease-fire in Gaza and increased humanitarian aid access to address medical shortages, hunger, thirst, and hygiene deficiencies leading to diseases in Gaza. The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the U.N.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
Türkiye-Russia cooperation on Syria ensures lull
Regarding cooperation between Ankara and Moscow on Syria, Fidan said it has ceased the war between the Assad regime and opposition forces, through the Astana format and other initiatives.
He noted that the regime should take advantage of the calm and ensure voluntary return of millions of Syrian nationals who fled the country as a result of the war, to rebuild the country.
"I highlighted this in my discussions with my Russian counterparts," Fidan said, adding that Türkiye thinks it is important for Syrians to return to their homes and that a unified Syria with its government and opposition forces will be an important actor in the fight against PKK terrorists.
The Astana peace process is the ensemble of initiatives and plans launched in 2017 under the guarantors Türkiye, Russia and Iran to resolve the Syrian civil war, which began in early 2011 when the Bashar Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protestors with unexpected ferocity. The war displaced nearly 7 million people and caused the deaths of over 300,000 people in total.
The YPG is PKK’s Syrian affiliate and the United States has strongly backed it under the pretext of fighting the Daesh terror group. Thanks to U.S. help worth millions of dollars, the YPG has grown stronger in northeastern Syria. Along with the PKK, it still controls much of the war-torn country’s east, making it impossible for Assad to establish territorial integrity.
Since the civil war broke out, Türkiye has backed the opposition as the Bashar Assad regime frequently denounced Ankara’s support that paved the way for liberating Syria’s north from PKK, YPG, as well as Daesh.
Relations between the two, however, thawed after the Feb. 6 earthquakes that killed more than 56,000 people combined in both countries. Turkish officials have since been floating the idea of cooperating with Damascus on counterterrorism efforts.
Upcoming NATO summit
Fidan also touched upon the upcoming NATO summit in Washington next month, saying that Ankara will continue to convey its concerns about counterterrorism fight to its allies.
"We voiced this concern in Madrid," Fidan said, adding that Türkiye believes NATO member-states should not implement restrictions on the defense sector. He said President Erdoğan is expected to bring issue of solidarity among NATO allies.