Turkish president meets with leaders from 7 countries in Astana

By Yildiz Nevin Kasim

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with leaders from Russia, China, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Mongolia, Belarus, and Qatar on the sidelines of the 24th Summit of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which concluded in Astana, Kazakhstan.

President Erdogan first met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, during which they discussed Türkiye-Russia relations, the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, Israel's attacks on Palestinian territories, efforts to resolve tensions in Syria, and counterterrorism.

Erdogan emphasized Türkiye's commitment to promoting peace both regionally and globally.

He suggested that Türkiye could facilitate a cease-fire and subsequent peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, with a fair resolution acceptable to both sides.

- Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Pakistan trilateral meeting

Separately, Erdogan held a trilateral meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The leaders discussed regional and global issues, as well as areas of cooperation between their respective countries.

He highlighted that Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan could undertake joint initiatives in various fields that would benefit all three countries. He stressed that such cooperation in a region marked by conflicts and tensions would also contribute to regional and global peace.

- Meetings with other leaders

Erdogan also met with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and discussed bilateral relations, regional issues, and global concerns.

Later, the Turkish president met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. They discussed Türkiye-Qatar relations, Israel's attacks on Palestine, Tel Aviv’s threat to attack Lebanon, and other regional and global matters.

During his meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Erdogan stressed that steps should be taken to stop the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war and that a solid peace foundation could help end the conflict.

Erdogan concluded his engagements in Astana with a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and returned to Türkiye later Thursday.