World leaders to meet at Turkevi during 79th UN General Assembly

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, attending the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), hosted various world leaders at the Turkish House (Turkevi), located across from the U.N. headquarters in New York.

On Sunday, Erdogan met with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. He later attended a dinner organized by the Turkish-American National Steering Committee (TASC).

Talks with Kuwait, Iran and Germany on agenda

Erdogan is set to address the Summit of the Future session on Monday at the U.N. General Assembly. Following his speech, he will continue bilateral meetings, starting with Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah. Later, Erdogan will hold discussions with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The meeting with Pezeshkian comes amid heightened regional tensions. Following a series of Israeli attacks in Lebanon and growing uncertainty over Iran’s potential involvement, the importance of this meeting has intensified.

Pezeshkian inaugurated on July 30 following his victory in Iran’s July presidential election, has taken office during a turbulent period. Shortly after his inauguration, Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran, allegedly by Israeli forces. Iran had vowed retaliation but has not taken action thus far.

The Turkevi meeting will mark the first official encounter between Erdogan and Pezeshkian since these events. Following talks with Pezeshkian, President Erdogan will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Pashinian

One of the most closely watched events of Erdogan’s New York agenda is his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian at Turkevi as part of the 79th U.N. General Assembly. This meeting is expected to attract significant attention from regional actors and the United States since Türkiye recently underlined the importance of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, supporting the current peace process.

The head of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Ibrahim Kalin recently emphasized that a final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan is crucial for stability and development in the Caucasus region.

Talks with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy

Erdogan is also scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Türkiye has long advocated for a “just peace” in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and is expected to discuss the current state of the war and potential peace negotiations. Zelenskyy has recently sought permission from the U.S. and U.K. to strike Russian targets with long-range missiles.

During his visit to the U.S., Zelenskyy is also expected to present his peace plan to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Meeting with Iraq’s PM and reception with Biden

On Wednesday, Erdogan will meet Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at Turkish House. Amid reports of a planned U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq by 2026, the discussion will focus on security cooperation and counterterrorism efforts. The meeting follows the signing of a security agreement between Türkiye and Iraq last month.

Erdogan will also meet Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof later. On Wednesday evening, Erdogan and Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan will attend a reception hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in honor of the heads of delegations and their spouses.

Erdogan to address UN General Assembly

President Erdogan will address the UNGA’s 79th session on Tuesday, following Biden. Scheduled to speak at 6 p.m. (Turkish time), Erdogan’s speech is expected to cover key topics, including Israel’s actions in Gaza, regional tensions, the Ukraine-Russia conflict, and Türkiye’s efforts to combat terrorism.

Following his address, Erdogan is expected to meet with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the U.N. building.