Erdoğan Says Turkic World Key to Eurasian Peace, Calls for Fairer Global Order

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday published an article titled “The Key to Peace in Eurasia: The Turkic World” in Kazakhstan’s Kazinform news agency, arguing that the Turkic world has an increasingly important role in promoting peace, prosperity and stability across Eurasia and calling for a fairer international system.

Erdoğan made the remarks during his visit to Kazakhstan for the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States. In the article, he said regional conflicts, energy insecurity and geopolitical tensions were testing the international system, and that existing global governance mechanisms have failed to respond effectively to modern challenges.

“The rules-based international order has undergone further erosion,” Erdoğan wrote, renewing his long-standing call for reform of international institutions. Referring to his slogan “The world is bigger than five,” first voiced at the United Nations in 2014, Erdoğan said meaningful progress toward a more inclusive global order had yet to materialize.

“The clearest and most tragic manifestation of this can be seen in Gaza,” Erdoğan wrote. “Through the crimes against humanity it is committing, Israel is trampling on the shared values of humanity.” Türkiye has been among the strongest critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and has repeatedly called for a permanent cease-fire, expanded humanitarian access and renewed diplomatic efforts in the region.

Erdoğan said Ankara believes global and regional crises can only be resolved through “an order grounded in enforceable rules,” adding that Türkiye would continue pursuing mediation and peace diplomacy initiatives. “We do not refrain from assuming responsibility, both within multilateral organizations and independently, in efforts to end crises and conflicts in our region and across the globe,” he wrote.

As part of his visit, Erdoğan attended bilateral meetings with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and participated in meetings focused on transportation, defense, trade and energy cooperation. Speaking at a press conference in Kazakhstan, Erdoğan described the Caspian-transit East-West Middle Corridor as the “modern-day equivalent of the Silk Road.” He said Türkiye aims to increase the transport of Kazakh oil to global markets through Turkish routes.

Erdoğan highlighted deepening ties between Türkiye and Kazakhstan, noting that bilateral trade is approaching $10 billion, while Turkish investments in Kazakhstan have reached nearly $6 billion. Turkish contractors have completed nearly 550 projects in Kazakhstan worth more than $30 billion, according to Erdoğan. The two countries have set a target of increasing bilateral trade to $15 billion. “Our cooperation in energy, transportation, logistics and the defense industry is expanding on a broader and more solid foundation,” Erdoğan wrote.

Erdoğan also welcomed the participation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as an observer at the summit, calling it an important development for the Turkic world. He invited Kazakh citizens to visit Ankara after the Turkish capital was designated the 2026 Tourism Capital of the Turkic World by the Organization of Turkic States. “As states representing the Turkic world, we will never hesitate to assume responsibility for establishing a climate of peace, prosperity and tranquility in our region and across the globe,” Erdoğan wrote.