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In a Turbulent Time, Türkiye Lays Claim to a Role of Stability for Europe, Syria and Global Trade

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Photo: Turkish Presidency/dpa
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Photo: Turkish Presidency/dpa
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In a Turbulent Time, Türkiye Lays Claim to a Role of Stability for Europe, Syria and Global Trade

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Photo: Turkish Presidency/dpa
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Photo: Turkish Presidency/dpa

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday sought to position his country as a point of stability in an increasingly tumultuous world, saying Türkiye was essential for European security and able to span geopolitical divisions over Ukraine, Syria and US tariffs that have sparked a global trade war.
Erdogan, who is facing disruption at home from protests against the imprisonment of his main political rival, was speaking at a diplomacy forum in the Mediterranean city of Antalya.
“It has become clear once again that European security is unthinkable without Türkiye. Türkiye is ready to take responsibility for European security in the future as well,” he said in an opening speech at the three-day gathering.
As trans-Atlantic relations cool under the US presidency of Donald Trump, NATO member Türkiye, which has the alliance’s second-largest military and a well-developed defense industry, is seeking a wider role.
The Trump administration has warned that the continent must look after its own security, including Ukraine, in future and has so far shown no willingness to back a largely European force in Ukraine in the face of Russian hostility.
Türkiye has emerged as a key broker in the Black Sea region, preserving relations with both Ukraine and Russia. Erdogan and Trump have both spoken of their close personal relationship.
“I believe that our relations with the United States will flourish in every field during President Trump’s second term, also with the contribution of our close friendship with him,” the Turkish president told an audience of world leaders and diplomats.
Turning to Trump’s tariffs, Erdogan held out the chance of a positive outcome for Türkiye, which has been placed within the baseline 10% tariff.
“We are doing our best to prevent the heated commercial competition over customs tariffs from becoming destructive,” Erdogan said. “Türkiye will be one of the winners of this process.”
Türkiye is also an influential actor in neighboring Syria as opposition groups it supported during the civil war took power last December. However, the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad aggravated already tense relations between Türkiye and Israel, with their conflicting interests pushing the relationship toward a possible collision course.
When Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House last month, he advised him to be “reasonable” in his dealings with Ankara.
Erdogan told the forum in Antalya: “We are in a state of understanding and close dialogue with influential actors in the region, especially Trump and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, in preserving the territorial integrity of Syria."
The president, a vocal critic of Israel’s operations in Gaza, also focused on the killing of civilians in the enclave.
“Even if it is at war, does a legitimate state act like this? Isn’t this called state terrorism? That’s why Israel is a terrorist state,” he said.

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World

US Calls for Coalition of Like-Minded Partners, Dozens of Countries Urge Reopening of Hormuz

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, April 27, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, April 27, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
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US Calls for Coalition of Like-Minded Partners, Dozens of Countries Urge Reopening of Hormuz

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, April 27, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, April 27, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer

Dozens of countries gathered at the United Nations in New York on Monday to discuss “the safety and protection of waterways in the maritime domain,” demanding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed by Iran since February.

During his speech at the Security Council open debate convened at the invitation of Bahrain, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that ensuring the security of global waterways has become a fundamental test for the current international system, stressing that their stability is a cornerstone of global security and peace.

He said maritime routes have historically been vital arteries for global trade and energy flows among continents.

“Open the Strait. Let ships pass. No tolls. No discrimination. Let trade resume. Let the global economy breathe,” he noted.

Guterres warned that prolonged disruption risks triggering a global food emergency – pushing millions, especially in Africa and South Asia, into hunger and poverty.

Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IOM) Arsenio Dominguez said straits used for international navigation cannot be closed by bordering States.

He said the geopolitical conflict around the Strait of Hormuz is having a very negative effect on seafarers and shipping, and on the global population and economy.

Coalition of like-minded partners

For his part, US Representative to the UN, Ambassador Mike Waltz said the Strait of Hormuz is not Iran’s to wield like its own moat and drawbridge.

“It is not Iran’s bargaining chip, it is not Iran’s toll road. And that’s what over 100 countries right outside these doors just testified in one of the most supported press conferences in recent years—100 countries just said what I said,” he told the open debate.

Waltz criticized both China and Russia for vetoing a resolution to protect the freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Straits of Hormuz. Instead, he said, they chose a radical religious regime for its partner, and ignored not only the plight of our Gulf countries, but the global economy.

He therefore called for a coalition of like-minded partners to step up and step in with real capabilities and help.

British Minister of State for Europe, North America, and the Overseas Territories Steven Doughty said shipping and seafarers must not be used as leverage, and there is no place for tolls or permissions in international straits.

“Throughout this crisis, the UK has been clear: Iran must not be able to hold the global economy hostage or indeed threaten regional and international security,” he said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot emphasized that strategic straits are “arteries of the world" and "not the property of any individual.”

Barrot said Iran must make “major concessions” for a lasting solution to the Middle East crisis.

Speaking at the United Nations Security Council, he stressed that only a radical shift in Tehran’s stance can restore stability.

Russia and China

In return, Russia’s Permanent Representative at the Security Council open debate, Vassily Nebenzia said the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is the result of unprovoked US-Israeli aggression against Iran.

His Chinese counterpart, Fu Cong, said the root cause of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is the illegal military actions launched by the US and Israel against Iran.

He said China commends Pakistan and others for their role as mediators, and urges relevant parties to resolve disputes and conflicts by political and diplomatic means.

Saudi Arabia Rejects Threats

Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN, Abdulaziz Alwasil, said the Arab Gulf region is witnessing unprecedented tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.
“Any threat to freedom of navigation in this strategic waterway would directly impact global stability,” he noted.

The Saudi envoy condemned Iran for its actions and threats targeting international shipping and freedom of navigation, warning that such behavior constituted a serious threat to global peace and stability.

Alwasil said the waterway must remain open without restrictions, in accordance with international law.

Pakistan's ambassador to the UN Asim Iftikhar Ahmad emphasized that safeguarding sea lanes is essential not only for trade, but also for broader development and security goals.

The ambassador said Pakistan, alongside partners such as China, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt, is actively working toward de-escalation.

For his part, Iran’s envoy to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said, “Lasting stability and security in the Arabian Gulf and the wider region can only be achieved through a durable and permanent cessation of aggression against Iran supplemented by credible guarantees of non-recurrence and full respect for the legitimate sovereign rights and interests of Iran.”

Joint Statement

Ahead of the open debate session, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Council this month, read a joint statement on behalf of a broad coalition of countries, expressing strong opposition to actions affecting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The statement reaffirmed support for Security Council Resolution 2817 and condemned what it described as Iranian actions, including the closure of the strait and attacks on regional neighbors.

It warned that such measures pose “a threat to international security and to navigational rights and freedoms,” emphasizing that free passage through the strait is essential to global stability and prosperity.

“We reiterate our call for the urgent and unimpeded opening of the strait,” Al Zayani said, reading from the statement.

Also on Monday, the US and Iran clashed at the United Nations over Tehran's nuclear program and its selection to be one of dozens of vice presidents at a month-long conference to review the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The 11th conference to review implementation of the NPT, which came into force in 1970, began on Monday at the UN in New York.

Different groups nominated 34 conference vice presidents, and the conference chair, Vietnam's UN ambassador Do Hung Viet, said Iran was picked by “the group of non-aligned and other states.”

Christopher Yeaw, assistant secretary for the US Bureau of ⁠Arms Control and Nonproliferation, told the conference that Iran's selection was an “affront” to the NPT.

Reza Najafi, who serves as Tehran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, rejected the US statement as “baseless and politically motivated.”

World

UK Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Embassy’s ‘Unacceptable’ Comments on Social Media

Police officers stand guard outside the Iranian embassy as demonstrators continue protesting outside during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, Britain, January 13, 2026. (Reuters)
Police officers stand guard outside the Iranian embassy as demonstrators continue protesting outside during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, Britain, January 13, 2026. (Reuters)
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UK Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Embassy’s ‘Unacceptable’ Comments on Social Media

Police officers stand guard outside the Iranian embassy as demonstrators continue protesting outside during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, Britain, January 13, 2026. (Reuters)
Police officers stand guard outside the Iranian embassy as demonstrators continue protesting outside during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, Britain, January 13, 2026. (Reuters)

Britain said on Tuesday the Iranian ambassador to London had been summoned over what the government described as the Iranian embassy's "unacceptable and inflammatory" comments on social media.

Britain's minister for the Middle East, ‌Hamish Falconer, made ‌clear that the embassy "must ‌cease ⁠any form of communications ⁠that could be interpreted as encouraging violence in the UK or internationally", the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Iranian officials in Tehran could not be immediately reached for ⁠comment on Britain's move.

A ‌statement posted ‌by the Iranian embassy on its Telegram channel ‌earlier this month called on ‌Iranians in Britain to volunteer for a campaign to declare their willingness to sacrifice their lives in a war ‌in defense of their country.

The British government did not ⁠specify ⁠which of the embassy's social media comments it was referring to.

British lawmakers have warned of significant and wide-ranging threats posed by Iran to Britain.

The government also summoned the Iranian ambassador last month after an Iranian national and a British-Iranian dual national were charged on suspicion of helping Iran's intelligence services.

World

Trump and Charles Greet Each Other Warmly as the King Begins a Day of Diplomacy in Washington

US President Donald Trump speaks with Britain's King Charles III during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. (AFP)
US President Donald Trump speaks with Britain's King Charles III during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. (AFP)
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Trump and Charles Greet Each Other Warmly as the King Begins a Day of Diplomacy in Washington

US President Donald Trump speaks with Britain's King Charles III during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. (AFP)
US President Donald Trump speaks with Britain's King Charles III during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. (AFP)

President Donald Trump and King Charles III greeted each other warmly on Tuesday as the monarch began a day of diplomacy in Washington designed to emphasize a bond between the United Kingdom and the United States that is so strong it can withstand the political turmoil of the moment.

Trump welcomed Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House in a ceremony on the South Lawn. The king shook hands with members of Trump's Cabinet before joining the president for a rendition of the national anthem.

The leaders will huddle later in the Oval Office for a meeting that’s closed to the public, reducing the potential for the freewheeling, sometimes controversial meetings with foreign officials that have become routine during Trump’s second term.

Charles will later become the first British monarch to address the US Congress since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1991. Her speech highlighted the shared history of both countries and the importance of their democratic values, themes Charles will likely reinforce on Tuesday.

Such addresses are an opportunity afforded to only the most prominent world leaders, including Pope Francis, Václav Havel and Winston Churchill. It will likely mark the most extensive public remarks Charles will deliver during a four-day visit to the US that's intended to celebrate the country's 250th anniversary of independence from Britain.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., became the first sitting leader of his chamber to address the UK Parliament earlier this year. He attended a garden party with the king in Washington on Monday and said he told him he would be “well received” in Congress.

The visit comes at a challenging moment for US-UK relations. Trump’s up-and-down relationship with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken a particularly sour turn over the past several months as the Republican president has sought to rally international support for the war in Iran. Trump criticized Starmer, who has largely resisted his overtures, by saying “this is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with.”

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump stand on stage with Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP)

Trump has also imposed tariffs on the UK and warned of additional levies despite a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that has made such unilateral moves more challenging. Trump threatened just last week to slap a “big tariff” on the UK if it doesn't scrap a digital services tax on US technology companies.

Trump has more broadly challenged the traditional trans-Atlantic alliance with efforts to annex Greenland and threats to walk away from NATO. He has repeatedly imposed tariffs on and taunted Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth.

Meanwhile, Charles has faced some calls on Capitol Hill to meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein while he is in the US. There's no indication that he will do so even as the scandal involving the convicted sex offender has ensnared his brother, who was arrested in February over misconduct allegations, which he denies.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., urged the king over the weekend to at least address the issue during his congressional speech.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York blamed Republican policies on Monday for straining the US-UK relationship.

“Hopefully, the king's visit is going to go a long way toward repairing the damage that this administration has done to one of our most important allies in the world,” Jeffries said.

Charles and Camilla arrived at the nation's capital on Monday and held a tea with the president and first lady Melania Trump. The royal couple will continue their US trip later this week with stops in New York City and Virginia.