Türkiye Reaffirms Strategic Ties and Regional Stability Goals 🌍

At the Pathfinder Foundation’s first Ambassador’s Roundtable of 2026, Republic of Türkiye Ambassador Dr. Semih Lütfü Turgut outlined Ankara’s foreign policy priorities, emphasizing the shared aspirations for peace and sustainable development between Türkiye and Sri Lanka. • Bilateral & Global Cooperation: Despite geographical distance, the Ambassador called for strengthened bilateral and multilateral ties to navigate a period of heightened global turbulence and shifting power balances. • Key Regional Insights: • Middle East & Europe: Addressed ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza as "defining crises," highlighting the humanitarian costs and the limits of military power. • Security & Trade: Stressed the importance of securing the Black Sea for global food security and highlighted Türkiye’s role in mediating the Russia-Ukraine conflict. • Strategic Interests: Reaffirmed that EU membership remains a priority, alongside engagement in Central Asia via the Organisation of Turkic States, focusing on energy and transport corridors. • Economic Outlook: Noted that global economic pressures and austerity measures are fueling political extremism, necessitating diplomacy as the "least costly instrument" of foreign policy. • Sri Lanka Context: The session concluded with an interactive dialogue on enhancing Türkiye-Sri Lanka cooperation in economic and strategic sectors to mitigate the ripple effects of distant global conflicts.