Ankara, November 23, 2025 – The Europe Today: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan affirmed Türkiye’s commitment to fostering a just and lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia during a bilateral meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in South Africa on Sunday.
In the discussions, President Erdoğan emphasized that reviving the Istanbul peace talks could provide a pathway toward lasting resolution, according to a statement from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate. Türkiye initially hosted peace talks in 2022, shortly after the outbreak of the Ukraine war, which subsequently facilitated the Black Sea grain deal that July. This year, three renewed rounds of talks in Istanbul have resulted in prisoner exchanges.
President Erdoğan also highlighted the importance of maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the region. He stressed that a two-state solution remains central to achieving enduring peace and that Türkiye is actively pursuing efforts in this regard.
The Turkish leader underlined the significance of enhancing cooperation with Italy on Libyan affairs and reaffirmed that steps to strengthen Ankara–Rome collaboration, particularly in the defense industry, would continue.
According to Italy’s presidency, both leaders emphasized the importance of close cooperation within NATO and exchanged in-depth views on major international crises, including the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East. The statement added that Meloni and Erdoğan “hoped to continue strengthening bilateral relations” within a “very positive context of continued economic growth, including in strategic sectors.”
The meeting reflects both countries’ commitment to multilateral engagement, regional stability, and deepening bilateral relations across strategic, defense, and economic domains.
