President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue pursuing its goals of peace, stability and brotherhood. Erdoğan described the Mecca Agreement as a concrete reflection of this approach.
Erdoğan said they wanted to increase the number of countries participating in the joint defense agreement, adding that the text reflected the strategic resolve demonstrated in response to changing regional conditions.
Joint defense and collective deterrence
Erdoğan said the Mecca Agreement was based on the principle of collective deterrence, adding that they aimed to further develop cooperation in security and defense.
Erdoğan said the agreement would pave the way for joint defense industry projects and increase the capacity to combat terrorism. He said Türkiye and Saudi Arabia carried important responsibilities for regional peace, stability and prosperity.
Focus on stability and reconstruction in Syria
Describing the transformation in Syria as a “historic turning point,” Erdoğan pointed to the Syrian people’s determination to shape their country’s future. He said Türkiye had defended Syria’s territorial integrity, political unity and sovereignty since the beginning of the process.
Erdoğan said war, terrorism and instability had severely affected not only Syria but the entire region. He expressed hope that the new era would mark a beginning for lasting peace and stability as well as Syria’s reconstruction.
Erdoğan said Ankara would not allow structures in northern Syria or elsewhere in the country that could threaten Türkiye’s security. He stressed that Türkiye’s national security was as important as preserving Syria’s territorial integrity.
Erdoğan said Türkiye had aimed from the outset to enable Syrians to live in security and peace in their own country. He said significant progress had been made in improving security conditions, laying the foundations for economic development and achieving social reconciliation in Syria since December 2024.
The role of regional support
Erdoğan said regional support and the backing provided by regional countries to the Syrian government had been decisive in this process. He said the Syrian government, which had strengthened its ties with the regional and international community, was focused on sustainable stability and security and had demonstrated its capacity to stay away from new conflicts.
Erdoğan said normalization in Syria was of strategic importance for the entire region. He added that the country was now beginning to be associated not with instability but with connectivity and development projects.
Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue to fulfill its responsibility to support Syria’s stability and reconstruction and strengthen regional peace. He added that Ankara was ready to act together with regional and international partners.
Erdoğan said a new page had been opened in Syria, adding that it should be written on the basis of peace, brotherhood, sovereignty and a shared future rather than new suffering.
