President Erdoğan sends a warning to Israel: "Those who do this will pay the price."

02.09.2025 23:59

During his statements upon returning from his trip to China, President Erdoğan responded to the question, "Is it Israel that prevents the YPG from joining the Syrian army despite the agreement?" by saying, "I want to express very clearly; whoever tries to undermine this process will pay the price."

President Erdoğan, who attended the 25th Council of Heads of State Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held in Tianjin, China, made important statements to the accompanying journalists upon his return to the country.

"WHOEVER TRIES TO UNDERMINE THE PROCESS."

In response to the question, "Is Israel trying to sabotage the National Solidarity and Brotherhood Process ongoing in Turkey through steps it will take via YPG in Syria? Is it Israel that prevents YPG from joining the Syrian army despite the agreement?" Erdoğan stated, "There are many who want to create chaos in Syria. It is well known who they are. Therefore, we will not leave Syria alone. We will always stand by their side. I hope no one will be able to prevent Syria from getting back on its feet. The war barons who invest in chaos will lose this time. The Syrian people, regardless of being Arab, Kurdish, Turkmen, Nusayri, Sunni, or Christian, will win. I want to express this very clearly; whoever tries to undermine this process will pay the price. Kurds are our brothers, no matter where they live. No one can separate us from each other. No one can ambush our eternal brotherhood. We are determined, we are resolute. Just as flesh does not separate from bone, our brotherhood cannot be separated either. If we act with foresight, wisdom, and common sense, every problem can be solved. But if there is no good intention, even the simplest issues can become a tangled mess. We are in favor of strengthening the environment of peace and tranquility, and we will continue to work for this," he said.

CRITICAL SUMMIT IN CHINA

President Erdoğan, who attended the 25th Council of Heads of State Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held in Tianjin, China, engaged in diplomatic traffic. Here, Erdoğan met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

"THESE NUMBERS ARE QUITE STRIKING"

Evaluating the visit, Erdoğan said, "Dear members of the press, esteemed friends, I greet you with my heartfelt feelings. As the honored guest of Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping, we participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit. Our participation in the summit is a sign of the importance we attach to our relations with the organization and with Asian countries with which we have deep-rooted ties. These numbers are quite striking; the population of the 10 member countries of the organization has reached 3.8 billion, and its economic size has approached 30 trillion dollars. We see that the organization has been undergoing a dynamic transformation since 1996. It is gaining an identity by highlighting cooperation in economic and commercial fields. The organization has also adopted the principle of playing a role in solving global and regional issues. The principles listed under the title 'Shanghai Spirit', such as 'equality', 'consultation', 'mutual trust and benefit', 'respect for differences', and 'common development', also overlap with the fundamental approaches of our Re-Asia Initiative that we announced in 2019. We are among the countries that make the most effort to resolve conflicts in our region through peaceful means. I find the organization's efforts to increase its contact with dialogue partners, including our country, to be accurate," he said.

QUESTION - ANSWER

In your article published in the People's Daily, you referred to a Chinese proverb saying "While going through strange times." How does Chinese President Xi Jinping approach the incredible lawlessness in our geography and the blocked international community? Is Beijing, the locomotive of the East, aware of the role and potential Turkey plays in the world's "normalization" goal, as a NATO member and a country integrated with the West?

"WE ARE NOT A COUNTRY FROZEN IN THE COLD WAR FROST"

China is aware of Turkey's regional importance and influence. For this reason, it sees Turkey as an important actor. We are striving to develop our relations with China. We are evaluating cooperation opportunities in many areas, from economic relations to digital technologies, from energy to health. We do not look at the world solely through the East-West axis. We are not a country frozen in the cold war frost. We constantly say that it is necessary to build new bridges, not to divide between East and West. We advocate our people-centered policies on every platform. We will continue to do so. In a world where international systems are blocked, we believe that normalization can only be achieved through solutions based on fairness. We learn from the past, read the future correctly, and move forward on our path with this vision. We believe in the importance of keeping dialogue channels open. We think that a just and prosperous world can be built. Indeed, when we say "a fairer world is possible," we have always insisted on this, and we will continue to do so. We are also striving to continue on this path. We expect China, as an important part of the international community, to support our efforts.

In your meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which topics related to recent global developments were highlighted? Can we define this meeting as a "period of closer cooperation in bilateral relations" in the context of the Ukraine war, energy cooperation, defense industry, and balance policies in the Black Sea? What is Putin's approach to the idea of a quadrilateral summit for peace in Ukraine, especially in Istanbul? What is Russia's stance on Gaza, and was this issue brought up in the meeting?

PUTIN SAID 'WHY NOT' TO THE ISTANBUL PROPOSAL"

In our bilateral meeting with Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin, we discussed what can be done to end the Ukraine-Russia war with a just peace. Cooperation in the energy sector was particularly the topic we addressed in this meeting. From the very beginning, Turkey has always considered that the Ukraine-Russia war can be ended through negotiations. The negotiations that took place in Istanbul are the clearest proof that this path is open. Gradually raising the level of negotiations is a path we desire. The hope for peace must be transformed into solution-oriented and concrete results. For this, we need to address this issue at the leaders' level. We evaluated what results Mr. Putin returned with from the last Alaska summit and what he thought during those meetings. His meeting with U.S. President Mr. Donald Trump was very important. As we gathered Mr. Putin's thoughts on these matters, we also had some discussions with Ukrainian President Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky through telephone diplomacy. In those contacts we had with him, we had the opportunity to see Mr. Zelensky's perspective on Mr. Putin.

We have also had the opportunity to reassess the outcomes of the Alaska summit. I found the approaches of both Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Putin to be positive. When we said, 'There may be an initiative for the continuation of the Istanbul process in Turkey,' he was at the point of 'why not' regarding this issue. However, they are not yet ready for that.

After the Alaska summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a discussion was opened in Europe once again about whether "the continent has no geopolitical role left." Do you think so too? How is Turkey's geostrategic identity affected by this situation? What is the impact of this situation on Turkey's geopolitical identity?

"I ALWAYS KEEP THE ISSUES OF THE GRAIN CORRIDOR AND PRISONER EXCHANGE ON THE AGENDA"

Mr. Trump held talks with the parties involved in the Ukraine-Russia war. He had contacts with both Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and European leaders. These discussions are reasonable, acceptable, and a valuable strategy. The Ukraine-Russia War can only be ended through peace-oriented dialogue. We have also held discussions with the parties involved in the Ukraine-Russia war, primarily with Mr. Trump. We are in constant contact with Mr. Putin, Mr. Zelensky, and European leaders. My Foreign Minister and my Intelligence Chief are having the necessary discussions with their counterparts. These discussions continuously accelerate this process. We are a country that has developed and strengthened the dialogue ground through direct negotiations held in Istanbul. As you know, we achieved concrete results with the grain corridor and prisoner exchanges. The most correct approach is actually this. We do not intend to abandon this. We are taking steps regarding the continuation of this process and will continue to do so. In every meeting I have with Mr. Putin, I always keep the issues of the grain corridor and prisoner exchange on the agenda. I will continue to do so. Our hope is to achieve a result from here. Just and lasting peace will come by strengthening the negotiation ground without excluding the parties. Turkey has been an example with its ability to engage with both sides and gain the trust of both since the very beginning of the war. If we prioritize negotiation over conflict, and peace over war, we can fully open the window of opportunity that has been cracked.

The U.S. State Department's cancellation of the visas of Mahmoud Abbas and 80 Palestinian officials means they will not be able to attend the United Nations General Assembly. Many countries are preparing to recognize Palestine as a state. What kind of UN General Assembly will we see?

"THE U.S. SHOULD RECONSIDER THE DECISION ON MAHMUD ABBAS"

America's decision does not align with the reason for the existence of the UN. We believe that the decision should be reconsidered as soon as possible. The United Nations General Assembly exists to discuss global issues and produce solutions. The absence of the Palestinian delegation in the General Assembly only pleases Israel. In my opinion, this United Nations General Assembly is still one that has not finalized its content and participants. I wanted to have a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on this matter, but unfortunately, neither of us found the opportunity. We want to evaluate how we will conduct this United Nations General Assembly through telephone diplomacy until the date of the General Assembly. I also want to learn the thoughts of the UN Secretary-General on this issue. Because these developments are not sudden. There are victims in Palestine. There are also those who watch this oppression with tears in their eyes. There are tens of thousands of oppressed people. We need to take steps to protect their rights and justice. Since October 7 in Gaza, there have been more than 60,000 martyrs and over 150,000 injured. From time to time, the injured are sent to our country. We are mobilized on this issue. First and foremost, Israel's genocide will never be forgotten. Those who have compassion will never forget how babies, mothers, and fathers are slaughtered in Palestine. It is not right to silence the voice of Palestine. It is not possible to silence or suppress this voice. What is expected from America is to say "stop" to Israel's massacres and oppressions. Many countries, including some European ones, are preparing to recognize Palestine as a state in the UN General Assembly. This year, the Palestine issue will likely dominate the UN General Assembly. One of those who will leave a mark on this will probably be this poor person. Even if Palestinian officials do not attend the UN General Assembly meeting, the voice of the Palestinian oppressed will resonate there. As Sezai Karakoç said, "If we remain silent, history will not remain silent. If history remains silent, the truth will not remain silent."

Your words, "Those who turn towards Ankara and Damascus will win, while those who lose their direction and seek new patrons will lose," created great unease in Israel. They made statements targeting you and Turkey. Is Israel trying to sabotage the ongoing national solidarity and brotherhood process in Turkey through steps it will take in Syria via the YPG? Is it Israel that prevents the YPG from joining the Syrian army despite the agreement?

"WHOEVER TRIES TO UNDERMINE THIS PROCESS WILL PAY THE PRICE"

We want to ensure lasting prosperity and peace in our neighbor Syria, and we value unity and solidarity. Recent events have shown that the unrest in Syria reflects back on us the most. We need to see this. We will neither turn a blind eye to those who want to create chaos in Syrian territory, nor will the Damascus administration tolerate it. We want Syria to be one and whole with all its colors and to remain so. Syrian President Ahmed Shara and his administration think like us. However, just like in all geographies that have experienced such a long war, there are many who want to create chaos in Syria. Their identities are well known. Therefore, we will not leave Syria alone. We will always stand by them. We hope that no one will be able to prevent Syria from getting back on its feet. Those who invest in chaos will lose this time. The Syrian people, regardless of whether they are Arab, Kurdish, Turkmen, Nusayri, Sunni, or Christian, will win. I want to express very clearly; whoever tries to undermine this process will pay the price. The Kurds, wherever they live, are our brothers. No one can separate us from each other. No one can ambush our eternal brotherhood. We are determined and resolute. Just as flesh and bone cannot be separated, our brotherhood cannot be separated either. If we act with foresight, wisdom, and common sense, every problem can be solved. But if there is no goodwill, even the simplest issues can become a tangled knot. We are in favor of strengthening the environment of peace and tranquility, and we will continue to work for that.

After the PKK's decision to disband and lay down arms, what concrete steps will the commission established in the Parliament under the "Terror-Free Turkey" process take first? There are some discussions in this regard. Will there be legal regulations in the commission? What are your expectations in the initial phase?

"WE HAVE CLEARLY DEFINED OUR ROADMAP AND OUR DESTINATION"

The National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Commission established in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey continues its work with broad participation.

I had a phone conversation with our Speaker of the Parliament, Numan Kurtulmuş, regarding the commission's work. We sincerely brought these rounds to a certain point. They will continue the process with the same determination from now on. I believe that in the end, Turkey will eliminate a 40-year-old problem and will walk into the future as one and whole. In such a matter concerning Turkey's future, it is best to focus on the statements made and to be made with state seriousness, rather than on rumors and hearsay. We have clearly defined our roadmap and our destination. The resources allocated for the fight against terrorism will now be spent on development, production, investment, and employment. The winner of a terrorism-free Turkey will be all of Turkey, and the winner of a terrorism-free region will be all the brotherly peoples in our region.

I would like to ask about the letter your esteemed wife sent to Melania Trump, the wife of U.S. President Donald Trump, regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which also resonated widely in the world press. In her letter, the call for Melania Trump to show the same sensitivity for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as she did for the war in Ukraine was striking. What would you like to say about the call made by the esteemed lady with a mother's sensitivity?

The poet says, and these lines are in one of my poetry tapes, "There is a hell boiling inside me. This hell also boils in the hearts of mothers." From this perspective, a mother's heart is both delicate and strong. When mothers get involved in solving such difficult issues, they can change the climate. Especially when there are thousands of babies and children being slaughtered, they embrace every child that falls to the ground as if they were their own. My daughters also wanted their mother to write this letter. I find this initiative very important in this regard. The letter added a new dimension to Turkey's Gaza diplomacy and also showed that a humanitarian and moral language can be effective in international relations, in addition to the initiatives carried out through official channels. Unfortunately, we have not seen even a quarter of the West's approach to the innocent in Ukraine in Gaza. All we can say is, "Shame on those who have eyes but do not see the state of those children trying to line up with pots and plates to get a little food!" The situation of these children is evident. Therefore, we expect this humanitarian approach from everyone, from the entire West. We want blood and tears to cease in all geographies.

I would like to ask about the Zangezur Corridor in the peace of the South Caucasus. You have already spoken with all parties. Signatures were affixed for the Zangezur Corridor at the White House on August 8. Subsequently, negative evaluations came from Russia and Iran. How did the developments reflect on the summit, what was your impression?

"ALIYEV AND PASHINYAN ARE LOOKING IN THE SAME DIRECTION"

I believe that the South Caucasus will hopefully achieve the peace it longs for. In my bilateral meeting with Mr. Ilham Aliyev, I saw that hope in him as well. The signatures at the White House certainly accelerated the normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan and Armenia have significantly overcome obstacles on the path to peace and have come to the final point. We had a comprehensive meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and then with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. In both of these meetings, I saw that both Aliyev and Pashinyan are on the same page. They are looking in the same direction. There is no problem or difference regarding the Zangezur Corridor issue. Mr. Ilham is much more confident about this. Especially the meeting during the trip to America has been almost decisive in the steps they will take at this point. With the establishment of peace, the land and railways in our region, which is very important, will become active, border gates will open, and many areas, especially trade, will be positively affected. We will also be positively affected by this. By evaluating new cooperation opportunities, the countries in the region will also benefit from this. These are very clear and evident. Russia and Iran will also understand in the coming period that their concerns are unfounded.

Do you think the new management of the CHP, which started with the discourse of change, can be a solution to the opposition problem in Turkey? Do you see a serious opposition that will really compete with you? On the other hand, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel stated that the missile tests in Sinop disturbed the fishermen and the fish. What would be your comment on these statements?

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL'S COMMENT: OH MY, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY COUNTRY

As you know, we are conducting tests of the normal-range missiles developed by ROKETSAN and Delta V in Sinop. These are the medium-range missiles that Turkey can currently develop. For longer-range missiles, we have projects in different geographies. But right now, we will continue to conduct these tests for Turkey's independence. Meanwhile, fishing in Sinop has grown fivefold in 3-4 years. Sinop fishermen have no problems. Sinop fishermen are exporting Turkish salmon to Japan. Therefore, I believe that Mr. Özgür is not aware of the missiles, the development of fishing in Sinop, or tourism. He made a statement saying, "The fish are getting stressed." Oh my, what has happened to my country? But we will overcome these issues.

As I have always said, the chronic opposition problem in Turkey has not been resolved. We are not even in a position to speak of hope for a solution. What problem has the CHP been able to solve so far that it can solve the opposition problem? A political party that cannot even produce solutions to its own internal issues, for God's sake, can it solve the problems of the nation? The deplorable state of the local administrations they won by saying, "We will serve the nation," is a fragment of their management understanding. They do not know how to serve; they only know how to fight.

My question will be related to the economy. Are the developments in the economy progressing as planned? In this context, when will the timeline for the decline in interest rates and inflation, and its reflection on citizens' pockets, be fully shaped?

"OUR EXPECTATION IS FOR THIS POSITIVE CYCLE AND TREND TO CONTINUE"

The developments in the economy are positive. Especially in the last 2-3 months, we have entered a strong, positive cycle again. The developments both domestically and internationally during the March-June period certainly had an impact. But those are behind us now. We have returned to a strong, positive state in almost all areas. The growth figures for the second quarter have been announced. A growth of 4.8% is quite strong. Except for the agriculture sector affected by frost and drought, there is very strong growth in all sectors and areas. Unemployment rates are in single digits, our reserves are at record levels, and inflation continues to decline. Of course, with the decline in inflation, financial conditions will also continue to improve. Our expectation is for this positive cycle and trend to continue. It is quite likely that we will enter the upper-income group according to the World Bank's definition in terms of per capita national income this year. Our country will have moved up a class in terms of per capita national income. We are, of course, closely monitoring developments in the real sector.

We are making intense efforts for the relaxation of the real sector, especially for the increase of exports and investments. We believe that we will complete the year with a figure in line with our targets regarding inflation. Our sincere struggle against the cost of living is truly yielding results and will continue strongly. In other words, we are growing on one hand while unemployment and inflation are decreasing on the other. Financial concerns and worries are behind us. Both the borrowing interest rates of the treasury are decreasing, our risk premium is falling, and our reserves are indeed at record levels. As of Friday, our reserves are over 178 billion dollars. Therefore, with a strong will, patience, and determination, we have returned to this positive cycle. With God's permission, this will continue.