Threat of nuclear war no joke, warns FM Fidan

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan emphasized that the threat of nuclear war amid ongoing global tensions is not a joke during his meeting with press representatives in Ankara at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday.

Answering the question of the journalists about the global war and how realistic the danger of nuclear war is within the framework of the doctrine, Fidan asserted: “Frankly, nuclear risk occurs from the moment the word nuclear starts to be discussed… This is not a joke.”

Referring to Russia, Fidan commented that attacks inside their territory could be tolerated until only a ‘higher tool’ is necessary to stop it if current methods do not work.

Fidan outlined that goodwill was demonstrated regarding normalization steps with Syria and that Trump’s second term is harder to analyze as it won’t resemble policies implemented during his first term.

Fidan also addressed Washington’s stance, noting that the U.S. has made it clear it will not allow others to invade any place they choose simply by threatening with nuclear weapons.

Brief overview of region, Trump 2.0

“The dynamic events that have been ongoing have not come to an end. Both the Ukraine-Russia war and the genocide in Gaza continue. With Israel’s attack on Lebanon, the tension in the region has moved to a new dimension. There is still a risk of war with Iran,” Fidan provided an overview of the situation.

“The debate over who will win the election in America is also behind us now in November. After a four-year hiatus, we will now experience Trump’s second term. This time, Trump has gained the upper hand in both houses of Congress. This does not always happen to every leader in a single election. It has such an edge to it,” he added.

Fidan continued, noting that regardless of whether it is for good or bad, there is a perception that uncertainty on certain issues will be removed with the incoming Trump administration.

He added that it remains to be seen how much this will work in Türkiye’s favor.

“One wonders what kind of step will be taken to stop the Russia-Ukraine war? How long will the U.S. support for Israel in the Gaza issue last? Will it stop the war or support its expansion?” the minister pointed out.

There are two main considerations regarding the next American policy, according to Fidan. The first is that the pro-Israel camp within Trump’s cabinet supports all of Netanyahu’s expansionist ambitions. 

The second, however, is taking into consideration that Trump stated, “I’m coming to end wars, not start new ones.” It remains uncertain if the two contrasting factors will be balancing each other and how they will reflect on the region. 

‘US wanted to withdraw from Syria during Trump era, and it tried’

“There is little indication at the moment what Trump will do in Syria,” the minister maintained.

“As long as the U.S. cooperates with the YPG/PKK terror groups in Syria, the strategic problem area for Türkiye will of course, continue. The U.S., which pursues a security-oriented foreign policy, should be in a position to understand Türkiye best. We must make our stance on this issue clear, both with our diplomatic moves and our stance on the field,” Fidan added.

“The U.S. wanted to withdraw from Syria during the Trump era, and it tried. However, the American system at that time did not listen to this and did not consent. The president’s direct order did not have much value in the eyes of the defense bureaucrats. Of course, Trump must have learned from the past. We see that he is currently seeking to bring more loyal cadres to work in order not to experience similar incidents again,” Fidan noted.

He further highlighted that keeping 800 American troops in Syria does not serve the United States; on the contrary, they pose an obstacle to U.S. military operations. When the U.S. strikes Iran or Iranian targets in the region, then American troops become the prime target. 

Commenting on Turkish policy, Fidan outlined: “It is wrong for the United States to work with another terrorist organization to fight Daesh in the region. And they do not have to. But the Americans’ insistence on wrongdoing is another matter, of course.”

Russia, Iran not keen on playing normalization role with Syria

“Normalization between Türkiye and Syria is not among Iran’s priorities. From Russia’s point of view, there is no such issue on the agenda, as there is already a cease-fire in the region and there is not much of a serious threat,” the minister said.

Fidan stated Türkiye is demonstrating goodwill regarding normalization with Syria. Nevertheless, will have to rely on the Astana process moving forward. 

Relations in East Libya improving

The Turkish ambassador visited eastern Libya over the past weeks. The Consulate General in Benghazi was reopened, the foreign minister underscored.

“We are also improving our relations with the east of Libya. We opened our consulate general in Benghazi. We appointed our Consul General… Our contacts with the authorities in the east of Libya continue. They come to Türkiye themselves. Some people go from Türkiye. Especially our businessmen. As you know, our businessmen already had intensive activities in Benghazi. Now those activities are slowly reviving again,” Fidan commented.

Fidan stated that the de-escalation environment in Libya, which Türkiye initiated and values greatly, is bearing fruit. He added that as the de-escalation progresses, people’s belief in its permanence grows, and they are now focusing on the economy, investments, and infrastructure. This, he noted, is creating opportunities for Turkish businessmen.

ICC’s historic decision

“The International Criminal Court (ICC)’s issuance of arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant is historic. This is an extremely worthwhile decision. It is an important development that certain countries have said that they will implement this decision,” the Turkish minister commented on the ICC’s decision.

Fidan applauded the move as a token of diplomacy and justice mechanisms working. Now the international community is meeting on the same page: an immediate cease-fire, the resumption of humanitarian aid, and a two-state solution. 

Some 2 million Palestinians in Gaza are or are at risk of starving currently. Fidan also specified that Hamas’ political bureau moving to Türkiye was a baseless rumor. 

Türkiye denies airspace access to Israeli president

Fidan confirmed that Türkiye denied airspace access to Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s plane to attend COP29 in Azerbaijan, citing “the massacre of 50,000 of our Palestinian brothers and sisters, including children and women.”

“The failure to take steps to prevent the human tragedy in Gaza deeply hurts us as a nation. Therefore, we did not allow the use of Türkiye’s airspace. This was our president’s decision, and permission was not granted,” he stated.

Ankara also rejected Baku’s diplomatic request regarding the matter, maintaining its stance on blocking access to Turkish airspace.