- BIST10011,593-1.10%
- USD49.45+0.05%
- EUR55.62+0.37%
- GOLD4,191.40+0.25%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN82,130+0.14%
- October 19, 202617°
- BIST10011,593-1.10%
- USD49.45+0.05%
- EUR55.62+0.37%
- GOLD4,191.40+0.25%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN82,130+0.14%
- October 19, 202617°
Erdoğan completes UN contacts after four days of intense diplomacy and economic talks
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan raised Palestine and Gaza at the United Nations General Assembly during his four-day visit to New York. Erdoğan also met with the leaders of the United States, regional countries and other states to discuss trade, security, peace and regional cooperation.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan completed his four-day program in New York, United States, where he attended the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, on Wednesday. Palestine and Gaza, along with regional security, reform of the international system, the economy and climate change, were at the center of the visit.
Erdoğan and his wife, Emine Erdoğan, were welcomed upon their arrival in New York by Türkiye's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Ahmet Yıldız, Türkiye's Ambassador to the United States, Sedat Önal, and Türkiye's Consul General in New York, Muhittin Ahmet Yazal.
Palestine and Gaza on the UN agenda
In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Erdoğan called on countries that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to reconsider their position. Describing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's inability to be present in the chamber as an injustice against the Palestinians, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue to defend the Palestinian people's struggle on international platforms.
Speaking about the situation in Gaza, Erdoğan claimed that 74,000 Palestinians had fallen victim to Israel's “state terrorism” over the past three years. Calling for stronger pressure to be brought to bear on Israel for the reconstruction of Gaza, Erdoğan reiterated that the United Nations Security Council should be reformed in line with the principle that “the world is bigger than five.”
Erdoğan also attended a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and the leaders or foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The meeting addressed efforts to end the fighting in Gaza and rebuild the region. Erdoğan later attended a reception hosted by Trump in honor of the delegates to the United Nations General Assembly.
Diplomatic contacts in New York
On the first day of his visit, Erdoğan met with Vietnamese President To Lam at the Turkish House and expressed his satisfaction with the positive response to Vietnam's proposal to elevate relations to the level of a strategic partnership. The meeting addressed the expansion of cooperation in investment, trade and the defense industry, as well as bilateral relations and regional and global issues.
That same day, Erdoğan held separate meetings with President of Libya's Presidential Council Mohamed al-Menfi, Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. The discussions covered preserving stability in Libya, Kosovo's position in the international community, lasting peace and stability in Lebanon, dialogue among the Balkan countries, and the effective use of cooperation mechanisms among Türkiye, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Meetings with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Polish President Karol Nawrocki, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye addressed bilateral relations, regional developments and global issues.
During his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Erdoğan discussed the normalization of Türkiye-Armenia relations, contacts in trade and transportation, and the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the positive momentum in bilateral relations.
Trade and energy goals with the United States
Speaking at the “100 Years of Friendship: Türkiye-United States” event held in the United States, Erdoğan said regional and global conflicts made it necessary to keep dialogue between Türkiye and the United States close. Saying that economic and trade relations could not be considered separately from strategic cooperation, Erdoğan stated that trade between the two countries had doubled over the past 10 years.
Erdoğan announced that trade between Türkiye and the United States exceeded $38 billion in 2025 and reached $28 billion in the first eight months of 2026. Saying that trade was expected to exceed $40 billion by the end of the year, Erdoğan said the $100 billion trade target set by the two countries was achievable.
Erdoğan said cooperation in energy, nuclear energy, liquefied natural gas, civil aviation, advanced technology and the defense industry should be expanded, and stated that Türkiye was the United States' largest liquefied natural gas supplier. He announced that they aimed to expand energy cooperation into all areas, including nuclear energy.
At a meeting with representatives of the Turkish-American business community, Erdoğan said strategic cooperation between Türkiye and the United States was developing across all fields. Saying he believed 2027 would be a stronger year in terms of disinflation, Erdoğan stated that fiscal discipline was progressing positively and that structural transformation had been placed at the center of the program.
Ukraine, Iraq and the climate agenda
Meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue its efforts to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end with a lasting peace. Emphasizing the need to ensure navigational safety in the Black Sea, Erdoğan said attacks on commercial vessels could not be justified.
A joint statement issued after the meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zeidi said Ankara and Baghdad had agreed to deepen security cooperation. The statement set out the goals of fully restoring state authority in Sinjar and ending the presence of illegal foreign armed elements.
It was stated that, depending on progress in Iraq's security measures, the Turkish Armed Forces would gradually hand over the Başika-Zlikan base to the Iraqi Federal Government in accordance with the agreed mechanism and timetable.
Erdoğan said the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP31, which Türkiye will host in Antalya from November 9 to 20, 2026, would focus on turning climate decisions into implementation.
Call for solidarity with the Turkish-American community
Meeting with Turks and fellow communities in New York, Erdoğan said Muslims should be able to integrate into the societies where they live without giving up their languages, cultures or roots. Calling for stronger representation of the Turkish-American community in politics, business, academia, culture and the arts, Erdoğan said social solidarity would contribute to the fight against Islamophobia, xenophobia and discrimination.
Erdoğan also said it was important for citizens to use their democratic rights and express their will at the ballot box in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.
Stay Updated with Hilal Times
Subscribe to be informed about special news, developments and announcements. We will keep you informed.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy
