Türkiye to continue efforts to end Russia-Ukraine war: Erdogan

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Türkiye will continue its diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine, telling reporters on his return flight from South Korea that he intends to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin following Saturday's meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul. "As Türkiye, we are doing everything we can to pave the way for peace, and we will continue to do so. Following our meeting with (Ukrainian) President Zelenskyy, we now want to address the Russian side of the matter by holding talks with President Putin," Erdogan said, adding that he emphasized the importance of pursuing diplomatic initiatives through negotiations during the Istanbul discussions and that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan would continue talks with Russian counterparts to prepare for potential negotiations.

Defense industry cooperation with Seoul

Erdogan addressed defense industry cooperation with South Korea, stating that bilateral ties extend beyond individual weapons systems to encompass comprehensive defense technologies including the Altay main battle tank, Firtina howitzers, unmanned aerial vehicles and naval platforms. "When we talk about defense industry relations between Türkiye and the Republic of Korea, we do not assess them in terms of putting one or two weapons on the table," he said, adding that cooperation covers air defense systems and submarines. The president highlighted ongoing talks during his Tuesday meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in Seoul, where Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also attended the signing of four memorandums covering science, technology, natural resources, energy and nuclear power project financing. He noted that the National Defense Ministry discusses these matters comprehensively with its counterpart to determine future steps.

'Unbreakable bond' with Azerbaijan

Regarding relations with Azerbaijan, Erdogan dismissed suggestions of a crisis between the two countries, emphasizing that their ties transcend conventional diplomacy and that he plans to visit Baku on Nov. 8 to mark Victory Day. "Our relations with Azerbaijan go far beyond conventional diplomatic contacts. The unbreakable bond between our two countries is the product of our shared history, culture, destiny and, God willing, our future," he said, noting that he has held phone talks with President Ilham Aliyev and dispatched his intelligence chief and foreign minister to Baku ahead of his planned Nov. 8 visit. "Hopefully, we will have the opportunity to take the necessary steps during this visit," he said, adding that diplomatic contacts have continued between the two leaders and their spouses and that there is no obstacle that the brotherhood between Türkiye and Azerbaijan cannot overcome.

On the US midterm elections, Erdogan said it was too early to draw firm conclusions about their impact on Türkiye-US relations, though he expressed hope that the results would contribute to lasting peace in the region and wished the American people beneficial outcomes. He stressed that Turkish-American relations remain rooted in NATO alliance and strategic partnership, adding that Ankara will continue to maintain close dialogue with both the US administration and congressional leaders. Regarding the Terror-Free Türkiye process, he noted that efforts are proceeding within the legal framework toward complete disarmament and verification processes.