Turkey Officially Changes Name at UN to 'Turkiye'

A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, Turkey September 30, 2020. (Reuters)
A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, Turkey September 30, 2020. (Reuters)
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Turkey Officially Changes Name at UN to 'Turkiye'

A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, Turkey September 30, 2020. (Reuters)
A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, Turkey September 30, 2020. (Reuters)

Turkey has told the United Nations that, at the behest of its president, it wishes from now on to be called "Turkiye" in all languages, the UN announced Thursday.

"The change is immediate," Stephane Dujarric, the UN chief's spokesperson, told AFP by email.

He noted that Ankara's official letter requesting the change had been received at the UN's New York headquarters on Wednesday.

The day before, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavasoglu had tweeted a photo of himself signing the letter, addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"With the letter I sent to the UN Secretary General today, we are registering our country's name in foreign languages at the UN as 'Turkiye,'" he wrote, including an umlaut over the "u".

He added that the change would bring to an end the process of "increasing the brand value of our country," an initiative started by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has led the country for almost two decades.

Over the past few years, the country has sought to change the branding on its products from "made in Turkey" to "made in Turkiye."

In addition to making the UN's nomenclature match how the nation is spelled in Turkish, the update would also help distinguish the country from the bird of the same name in English.

"The name change may seem silly to some but it puts Erdogan in the role of protector, of safeguarding international respect for the country," Georgetown University professor Mustafa Aksakal was quoted as saying in The New York Times.

The newspaper also noted that the move comes ahead of next year's presidential election as well as the centenary of the nation's founding after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire.



Starmer and Zelenskiy Meet in London, Agree Military Production Project

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C-L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C-R) meet with soldiers from the Operation Interflex at Downing Street, London, Britain, 23 June 2025. EPA/JASON ALDEN / POOL
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C-L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C-R) meet with soldiers from the Operation Interflex at Downing Street, London, Britain, 23 June 2025. EPA/JASON ALDEN / POOL
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Starmer and Zelenskiy Meet in London, Agree Military Production Project

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C-L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C-R) meet with soldiers from the Operation Interflex at Downing Street, London, Britain, 23 June 2025. EPA/JASON ALDEN / POOL
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C-L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C-R) meet with soldiers from the Operation Interflex at Downing Street, London, Britain, 23 June 2025. EPA/JASON ALDEN / POOL

Volodymyr Zelenskiy and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new defense co-production initiative on Monday during a short visit by the Ukrainian president to London to discuss his country's defense against Russia.

The two leaders announced the deal in the garden of Starmer's Downing Street residence, where they also met Ukrainian troops being trained in Britain.

"I'm really proud that this afternoon, we're able to announce an industrial military co-production agreement - the first of its kind so far as Ukraine and the UK are concerned - which will be a massive step forward now in the contribution that we can continue to make," Starmer said.

He did not provide further details on the agreement. Zelenskiy said it would help strengthen both nations.

Speaking alongside Starmer, the Ukrainian president thanked Britain for its support in the war against Russia, Reuters reported.

Zelenskiy had earlier met King Charles at Windsor Castle where the two shook hands for cameras on what was their third meeting this year and the latest gesture of Charles', and Britain's, support for Ukraine.

The Ukrainian leader also met the speakers of both houses of parliament.