Türkiye urges NATO members to back fight against terrorism — top diplomat

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has strongly urged NATO members to support Ankara in its fight against terrorism at a two-day foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, where he also held sideline talks with his counterparts.

"We underlined that NATO member countries should fully and unconditionally support Türkiye in the fight against terrorism," Fidan told reporters in Brussels, on Thursday, following the meeting.

The foreign minister also warned member countries which have been cooperating with the terrorist organisation to cease such activities, particularly in Syria, as it fell "against the spirit of the NATO alliance".

"What is sad for them (European countries) is that the terrorist organisation, which they have been silent about for years, is terrorising their own streets," he said, discussing the activities of the PKK terrorist organisation in Europe.

Fidan stressed that said countries should not only condemn the terror group's acts of violence against the Turkish nationals living in Europe, but also take "very serious" measures to combat it.

"I see authorities increasingly becoming more sensitive in Europe. This is actually a pleasing issue. I see that tolerance towards PKK is gradually decreasing. This is important," he added.

In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.

NATO marked its 75th anniversary in Brussels with the foreign ministers meeting on Wednesday and Thursday.

Celebrating the occasion, Fidan emphasised that Türkiye has been an important member of the alliance for 72 years since 1952. "Our armed forces actively participate in NATO missions," he said.

Türkiye boasts the second-largest military force in the alliance and will be hosting the informal NATO foreign ministers meeting next year.

Next NATO secretary-general

The nomination of the next NATO chief was also on the agenda at the foreign ministers meeting, as incumbent Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg’s term is scheduled to end on October 1 after ten years.

Fidan said he recently met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who has already garnered support from the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany as the potential successor.

"It is possible that he will visit Türkiye soon. We are working on a date," Fidan said. Recently, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Rutte in a phone call that Ankara would choose a candidate based on its expectations and needs.

Erdogan emphasised the need for the new secretary-general to best serve the security and interests of all members, especially in the fight against terrorism, and bolster the unity of the alliance while upholding NATO's core values and established practices.

War in Ukraine, Palestine's Gaza

The foreign minister meeting took place against the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, now on its 773rd day with a death toll of over 10,500 Ukrainians, and Israel's relentless 182-days-old assault on besieged Gaza which has so far killed at least 33,037 Palestinians.

Türkiye reaffirmed that it stands by Ukraine's security and sovereignty, and underlined that alternative ways to peace and cease-fire should be sought to stop the war, Fidan said.

The foreign minister also discussed the situation in Gaza with his counterparts on the sidelines of the NATO meeting and voiced concern over the "unbearable" situation in the enclave.

"In particular, we have repeatedly raised the need for a ceasefire, urgent humanitarian aid and a two-state solution perspective. Here's the good thing: Now, almost all our counterparts agree with us," he said, while stressing that more needs to be done.