Erdogan slams Israeli atrocities in Gaza, seeks end to Russia-Ukraine war

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed Israel's ongoing atrocities on the Palestinians and warned that attempts to cooperate with Israel within NATO is "not acceptable."

"Until a comprehensive, sustainable peace is established in Palestine, attempts at cooperation with Israel within NATO level will not be approved by Türkiye," Erdogan said on the final day of a NATO summit in the US.

Stressing that in an environment where the global conscience takes to the streets to stop Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians, Erdogan said the ongoing military support to Israel is "unacceptable."

"The Netanyahu administration, with its expansionist and reckless policies, endangers the security of not only its own citizens, but also the entire region," he stressed, referring to hawkish Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his war cabinet which repeatedly ignored truce plans approved by Hamas.

On the Ukraine-Russia war, he said Ankara has taken many steps to end the war, citing Istanbul process and Black Sea initiative to reach a ceasefire and establish peace in Ukraine.

At the three-day summit in Washington, NATO members have extended support to Ukraine to combat the Russian invasion that began in February 2022. The United States has been Ukraine's most important partner in military assistance during the war.

Earlier, Erdogan told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit that his country is continuing its efforts to end the Ukraine-Russia war with a just peace.

Ankara had begun to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Erdogan told his Ukrainian counterpart, adding that Türkiye is ready for any initiative, including mediation, to lay the groundwork for peace.