In a world increasingly defined by conflict, polarization and the breakdown of multilateral cooperation, Türkiye has actively undertaken its role as a principal architect in a new diplomatic order. Nowhere was this more evident than at the fourth Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF), held on April 11-13, where Türkiye’s assertive and pragmatic foreign policy was on full display.
The 2025 forum brought together over 6,000 participants from 155 countries, including 21 heads of state and government and 64 foreign ministers. With 50 high-level panels spanning climate change, nuclear threats, counterterrorism, digital transformation, artificial intelligence and humanitarian crises, the event reflected not only Türkiye’s convening power but also its capacity to shape global discourse.
This year’s theme, “Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World,” was not just a slogan. It encapsulated Türkiye’s response to the erosion of traditional diplomacy and the paralysis of international institutions. Through the ADF, Türkiye is promoting a bold model of engagement that emphasizes dialogue over coercion, inclusion over exclusivity and regional ownership over foreign imposition.
Global diplomatic powerhouse
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking at the forum’s closing, emphasized Türkiye’s evolution from a regional stakeholder to a credible global mediator. He announced that Türkiye is preparing for a potential meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump, a move with wide-ranging implications for U.S.-Türkiye relations and the future of Middle East diplomacy.
In a symbolic shift, Fidan also revealed that Erdoğan is considering a historic visit to Syria, signaling Türkiye’s readiness to engage directly with long-standing regional fault lines. Equally significant was Türkiye’s renewed offer to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, reinforcing its role as a trusted intermediary in a conflict that has eluded Western-led negotiations.
These announcements came amid a whirlwind of diplomacy on the forum’s sidelines. President Erdoğan met with numerous leaders, while Fidan engaged counterparts in both bilateral and multilateral formats, including the Türkiye-Croatia-Bosnia and Herzegovina Trilateral Summit and the OIC–Arab League Gaza Contact Group, which Türkiye hosted in an expanded format.
In Europe, Türkiye remains a critical actor in shaping the continent’s future security landscape. Fidan discussed Türkiye’s collaboration with NATO allies and EU candidate countries on revitalizing Europe’s defense industry and emphasized Ankara’s ambition to help reshape the European security architecture amid evolving threats.
On another front, Türkiye’s influence continues to grow in Africa, where it operates over 40 embassies and engages in expansive trade, infrastructure and agricultural cooperation. However, Fidan acknowledged that business development still faces structural hurdles and called for more coordinated, mutually beneficial initiatives.
Securing the Middle East
Nowhere is Türkiye’s active diplomacy more visible than in the Middle East. Fidan reiterated that Türkiye’s top priority in Syria is stability and security, urging actors like the U.S., Russia, and Israel to avoid provocations and calling for the establishment of technical deconfliction mechanisms, especially in airspace operations. He criticized Israel’s ongoing military operations in Syria, stating that they “serve instability rather than peace.”
Türkiye’s diplomatic engagement with Iraq through the High-Level Security Mechanism and its emphasis on counterterrorism cooperation also reflect its multidimensional approach to regional security. In the Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye continues to closely monitor the tightening military cooperation between Israel and the Greek Cypriot Administration, warning against efforts to form hostile security blocs.
Perhaps the most forceful remarks came on Israel’s actions in Gaza, which Fidan labeled a “genocide,” stating that Türkiye has taken every step within its power, from recalling its ambassador to cutting trade ties, in protest. Fidan pointed to the recent U.N. General Assembly vote, in which 156 states opposed Israel, as evidence of international consensus.
But he also lamented a crisis of global legitimacy: “The fact that this consensus has failed to stop the atrocities reveals the breakdown of the international system,” he said. Fidan echoed President Erdoğan’s longstanding mantra, “The world is bigger than five,” demanding a new, just global order.
He also offered a pragmatic assessment: that Islamic nations must redirect diplomatic pressure toward the United States, arguing that without a shift in American political and military support, efforts to end the violence in Gaza would remain insufficient.
Previous ADF outcomes
In 2021, Türkiye used the forum to initiate contact between Armenia and Azerbaijan following their war, eventually facilitating Armenia’s participation the following year – a step toward normalization. In 2022, it served as the venue for the first meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers since the war’s outbreak, laying the groundwork for the Black Sea grain deal that helped avert a global food crisis. In 2024, the forum offered an inclusive platform for Africa-focused cooperation and welcomed countries like Venezuela, Iran and Cuba, often sidelined in Western diplomacy.
These actions underscore Türkiye’s vision of a multipolar diplomatic ecosystem, where the Global South and emerging powers are central, not peripheral. At a time when traditional multilateral institutions are struggling with legitimacy, Türkiye is positioning the ADF – and itself – as a 21st-century diplomatic pivot.
Building peace in disorder
What emerges from the Antalya Diplomacy Forum is a Türkiye that is redefining its place in global politics. No longer confined to a reactive or regional role, Türkiye is actively building new norms and forging partnerships that transcend traditional alliances. Its geography – at the intersection of East and West – has long made it a bridge. Now, its diplomacy makes it an anchor in a world adrift.
By fostering dialogue where others impose isolation, by mediating where others escalate, and by offering inclusive platforms where others close doors, Türkiye is positioning itself as an indispensable diplomatic actor in a rapidly shifting world order.
As alliances fracture and multilateralism falters, Türkiye’s model diplomacy – engagement over coercion, dialogue over division – emerges as a compelling blueprint for the next era of international relations.