Heads of parliaments discuss Türkiye-Poland ties

By Ali Kemal Akan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Parliament speaker Numan Kurtulmus on Thursday met with his Polish counterpart Szymon Holownia in the Turkish capital Ankara for talks.

During the meeting, Kurtulmus said that Türkiye and Poland have the ability to develop "close cooperation" and joint projects in tourism, education and trade.

He expressed hope that the close dialogue between the governments will also continue to increase between the parliaments.

Stressing that Poland's six-month EU presidency starting next Jan. 1 is an "important opportunity" for the development of bilateral relations, Kurtulmus said: “We are grateful for Poland's support for Türkiye's EU membership."

Holownia, for his part, said that during the term, Poland will emphasize that Türkiye should be part of the EU.

Turning to the Russian-Ukraine war, Kurtulmus expressed Ankara's concern over the ongoing war, underlining that Türkiye's stance on the Ukraine-Russia war has been "clear."

"In the process that started with the annexation of Crimea in 2014, we have been and will continue to express on every platform that we do not accept territorial annexations, the annexation of some regions of Ukraine, and that this is not in accordance with international law," he added.

Referring Ankara's mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine, Kurtulmus said: "From the very beginning, Türkiye, as the only country that can talk to both sides, has put forward the idea that this war should be ended on the basis of a just peace as soon as possible, and we have worked hard for this, and we continue to do so.”

"Ending this war as soon as possible by protecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine is one of the greatest contributions to world peace," Kurtulmus stressed.

Holownia said that Poland respects Türkiye's stance in the Russia-Ukraine war and that Ankara plays an "important role."

Regarding Israel's ongoing war on Gaza, Kurtulmus said: “(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his gang continue their aggression in front of the eyes of the whole world and without complying with any rule of international law."​​​​​​​

Holownia, meanwhile, underscored that a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine is "essential" for peace in the Middle East.

*Writing by Efe Ozkan