The year 2023 witnessed intense diplomatic activity by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during which he conducted 21 foreign visits to 15 countries, attended 7 international summits, and focused his efforts to ensure peace.

Erdogan intensified his international contacts after the parliamentary and presidential elections last May, and put the Gaza issue on his agenda in all his meetings with leaders since October, with the start of the Israeli attacks.

It also hosted many foreign leaders during the year, including the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, the President of the Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.

With his re-inauguration as president of the country at the end of last May, Erdogan began his foreign visits, and his first stops were to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Azerbaijan on June 12. He also attended 7 summits within the scope of his foreign visits,

Last July, Erdogan made five foreign visits, including a visit to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, on the 10th of the same month, to attend the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, which was held on July 11.

Erdogan also visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the Emirates on July 17, 18, and 19 in his Gulf tour, from which he went again to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on July 20 (he visited it in the second week of June).

Erdogan also visited Hungary on August 20 to attend the celebrations of the Hungarian state’s founding day and some events at the World Athletics Championships, then headed to the Russian city of Sochi on September 4, at the invitation of his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for a one-day working visit.

The Turkish President also participated in the G20 Leaders Summit in India on September 8, and followed it by attending the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA, from September 16 to 20.

In this context, Erdogan conducted a one-day working visit to the Nakhchivan region (belonging to Azerbaijan) on September 25, at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Peace diplomacy for Palestine

Erdogan intensified his international contacts after the Israeli attacks on Gaza that began on October 7, putting Gaza on the agenda in all his meetings with leaders, introducing intense peace diplomacy.

The Turkish President made 6 visits last November, which included Kazakhstan to attend the tenth summit of the Organization of Turkic States on November 2. In his speech at the summit, he said that “acting in unity and solidarity like the Turkish world will facilitate the path to a ceasefire first and then to lasting peace.” “.

During his visit to Uzbekistan on November 8 to attend the 16th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization, Erdogan explained that “the Israeli government violated all the values of humanity and destroyed schools, mosques, churches, hospitals, universities and civilians.”

For the second time during the year, Erdogan visited Saudi Arabia on November 11, to attend the extraordinary joint summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League held in Riyadh to discuss the Israeli war on Gaza.

Erdogan said during the summit that “in the Islamic world, we cannot of course leave our Palestinian brothers helpless,” and called for “the establishment of a fund within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for the reconstruction of Gaza.”

After the re-election of President Erdogan, dozens of state leaders visited Turkey to attend the inauguration ceremony that was held on June 3. The same month also witnessed Erdogan hosting the President of the Emirates, and later he hosted the Ukrainian President, the President of Algeria, and the Palestinian President.

During the year, Erdogan also hosted the President of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Austrian Prime Minister, Karl Nehammer, and met with the Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, and other leaders, leaders, and prime ministers.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he will meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin face to face to discuss the issue of grain transportation across the Black Sea and the war in Ukraine.

He said in a statement he made to reporters during his return from Hungary, which he visited on Sunday: “We will talk with Putin face to face, and it is possible that our Foreign Minister (Hakan Fidan) will visit Russia soon.”

And the Turkish president added, “It is very important that this matter (the talks) take place face to face.”

In response to a question about what is the roadmap that will be followed to resume work on the grain initiative, he said: “Our goal in the phone calls we had with Mr. Putin is to obtain a positive position from Moscow on the issue of the grain corridor.”

He added, “There is a meeting of the G-20 in India and another meeting of the United Nations General Assembly next September, and if we find the opportunity during this intense agenda, we will meet with Mr. Putin and we will talk face to face.”

Erdogan confirmed that Turkey is striving to hold peace negotiations again between Russia and Ukraine, and that the talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey and the NATO summit included that matter.

He expressed his hope that the Russian and Ukrainian leaders would reach positive results with Turkish mediation.

Regarding Sweden’s membership in NATO, he stressed that Turkey’s position “will be different if the assault on our sanctities continues and the streets of Stockholm are not controlled (referring to demonstrations by supporters of the terrorist organization PKK).”

The Turkish president pointed to the lack of an effective fight against terrorism in Sweden, stressing that sending the protocols to join the Turkish parliament and passing the process quickly “is directly proportional to Sweden’s fulfillment of its promises.”

He added, “Our parliament will decide on this matter. We do not know how long it will take to discuss this issue in parliament and committees.”

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for his statements regarding Kiev’s request to join NATO.

This came in a video speech Zelensky posted on the Telegram app late Wednesday, on his way back to Ukraine from the NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius.

The Ukrainian president added, “President Erdogan said today that he really sees that Ukraine is approaching membership in the alliance. This means a lot.. Thank you!”

Zelensky also thanked his counterpart Erdogan for “Turkey’s defense of security in the Black Sea” and said that “Turkey is doing historic actions for all of us.”

In his evaluation of the results of the NATO summit, Zelensky said that his country formed “a security basis on its way to NATO membership for the first time since the country’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.”

The Ukrainian president noted that he and his accompanying delegation would return from the NATO summit with “good reinforcements with weapons,” including air defense, missiles, armored vehicles, and artillery.

He added that the security guarantees they received are “tangible guarantees” confirmed by the G7, stressing that “we have never had such a security basis”.

and also explained that NATO leaders removed “any doubts or ambiguities” about Ukraine’s accession to the alliance.

He pointed out that “not only all NATO countries agree to this step, but the vast majority of the Western military alliance is pressing for it.”

The Ukrainian president described NATO’s consideration during yesterday’s summit of Ukraine as “a country equal to other member states” as an “unprecedented step, and of real significance.”

He added, “Now everyone understands that this is a fact, and we will confirm this through our victory in the war and our accession to NATO.” Zelensky concluded his speech by thanking NATO members for their positions and military support for Ukraine.

On July 11-12, the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, hosted the meeting, which was held at the level of heads of state and government of the NATO summit.

The meeting was attended by 31 leaders of NATO member states, in addition to President Zelensky, and Turkey was represented by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov the latest developments in Ukraine and those related to the extension of the grain corridor agreement.

This came in a phone call that took place between them on Sunday, according to a statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Yesterday, Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during his meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, expressed his hope to extend the grain corridor agreement across the Black Sea, which is scheduled to expire on July 17.

He said, “I hope that the grain initiative agreement, which provided nearly 33 million tons of grain to the needy in one year, will be extended through the Turkish straits, which are like a windpipe overlooking the world.”

In July 2022, Turkey, the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from Ukrainian ports, which were temporarily suspended after the Russian war, in order to address the global food crisis.

The agreement, which was extended several times, most recently on May 18 for a period of 60 days, allowed the export of grain and foodstuffs from Ukraine.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for expanding the grain corridor agreement across the Black Sea to include other foodstuffs.

This came in a phone call he made with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, on Sunday, according to a statement issued by the Turkish Presidency’s Communications Department.

On July 22, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations signed the “Document of the Initiative for Safe Shipping of Grains and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports” during a meeting hosted by Istanbul to secure the arrival of grain exports stuck in Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea to the world.

The statement of the Communications Department indicated that Erdogan and Zelensky discussed, during the phone call, developments in the Russian-Ukrainian war, which has been going on since February 24.

He added that Erdogan assured Zelensky of Turkey’s continued efforts to “meet the needs of the Ukrainian people for humanitarian aid during the winter months, which are expected to be harsh.”

The Turkish president indicated that his wife, Emine Erdogan, takes a close interest in the orphans and their Ukrainian companions currently residing in the capital, Ankara, who number one thousand and 33.

Erdogan expressed his hope that a solution could be reached regarding the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

On March 4, Russia imposed control over the Ukrainian Zaporizhia power station, which is the largest in Europe, and its surroundings have recently been witnessing attacks and bombings, with Moscow and Kiev exchanging accusations about them.

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On Thursday, Emine Erdogan, the wife of the Turkish president, visited orphaned children who were evacuated from Ukraine in a children’s home in the capital, Ankara.

Erdogan was accompanied on her visit by the Minister of Family and Social Services, Derya Yang.

During the visit, the wife of the Turkish president received information about the process of rehabilitating the children from their caregivers.

Erdogan stressed that the children who were evacuated from Ukraine to Turkey were “in safe hands.”

She added, “Our hearts hope that no one will be left without a mother or father, and that no one will abandon their homeland. I hope that the war will end as soon as possible, that the wounds there will heal, and that everyone will be able to return to their homes safely.”

She pointed to the possibility of continuing the process of evacuating children in difficult conditions in Ukraine, indicating that Turkey is always ready to extend a helping hand.

Last Thursday, Turkey received 34 orphaned children from Ukraine, in a first step for the agreed evacuation between Amina Erdogan, the wife of the Turkish president, and her Ukrainian counterpart, Olena Zelensky.

The evacuation of orphaned children from Ukraine to Turkey came as a result of the agreement between Erdogan and Zelensky in Istanbul on October 2.

Erdogan and Zelensky met on October 2 at Wahideddin Palace and discussed the situation of women and children who were victims of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The orphaned children were brought from the “Sonyshko” home in the Ukrainian city of Odessa to the Turkish capital, Ankara, where rehabilitation operations began following medical examinations.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that his country will fulfill its obligations to export grain and other foodstuffs to the world market.

This came during a press conference following his meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

“One of the main issues I discussed with Alexandre de Croo was the grain initiative from Ukraine. Belgium has supported it and has already joined in providing funding for the humanitarian food supply,” Zelensky said.

“Through these joint efforts, millions of people in poor countries in Africa and Asia will be saved from hunger and related social disasters,” he added.

Zelensky added, “Ukraine has always been and will be the guarantor of global food security, and even under the harsh conditions of war, the Ukrainian leadership is working for global stability.”

On November 17, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the extension of the grain agreement for 120 days, starting from the 19th of the same month.

On July 22, Turkey, the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, which were suspended last February due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.

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French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the importance of the grain agreement and praised the role of Turkey and the United Nations in achieving it.

In a tweet, Macron indicated that poor countries should not pay a war tax that they do not want.

He praised the extension of the grain agreement for a period of 120 days and stressed the importance of continuing it in the future.

He pointed to France’s contribution of 14 million dollars for the delivery of grain to Somalia after Ukraine donated 25,000 tons of grain to the World Food Organization.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that his country would export 12 million tons of grain products to 40 countries as part of an agreement to ship grain across the Black Sea.

On November 17, President Erdogan announced the extension of the grain agreement for 120 days, starting from the 19th of the same month.

On July 22, Turkey, the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, which were suspended last February due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his contributions to extending the grain agreement.

Zelensky stated in a video message via his Telegram account that they are continuing to solve energy problems, pointing to the continuation of repair work on the energy infrastructure targeted by Russian forces in Ukraine.

Zelinsky pointed out that there are still problems in providing energy services in 17 cities and special districts in the capital, Kyiv, and that they are trying to solve energy problems in the city of Kherson as well.

He pointed out that he had a phone conversation with President Erdogan, during which they discussed the grain corridor agreement.

“I had a phone conversation with President Erdogan and thanked him for his efforts to extend our grain export initiative,” he said.

Zelensky added that he discussed security and energy issues with Erdogan.

The Ukrainian president confirmed that they are continuing to attack Russian forces, especially in the Donetsk region, adding, “We are preparing for future successes in certain areas.”

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his happiness over the resolution of the problem in the shipment of Ukrainian grain.

This came in a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, during which they discussed the latest developments in the Russian-Ukrainian war, according to a statement issued by the Turkish Presidency Communication Department on Wednesday.

Erdogan assured Zelensky that enabling Ukraine and Russia to sell their grain products is important to the whole world, stressing the importance of continuing the grain shipment agreement.

Erdogan stressed the need to increase diplomatic efforts “in order to end the war with a just solution based on an understanding that will lead to the full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

Earlier today, the Russian Defense Ministry announced Moscow’s return to participating in the grain agreement, after obtaining the necessary written guarantees from Ukraine thanks to Turkey’s support and the participation of the United Nations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also announced the reopening of the grain shipping lane from Ukrainian ports as before, days after Russia suspended work on the agreement.

Last July 22, Istanbul witnessed the signing of the “Document on the Safe Shipping Initiative for Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports” between Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations.

The agreement included securing exports of grain stuck in the Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea (Eastern Europe) to the world to address the global food shortage crisis, which threatens a humanitarian catastrophe.

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