Last week in Türkiye, the agenda was as busy as ever.
The visit of the Turkish delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, to Syria was at the top of the agenda.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the start of the domestic aircraft carrier construction process at a ceremony he attended at the Istanbul Shipyard Command.
And the drug crackdown targeting journalists, businesspeople, and artists continued last week.
Turkish delegation in Damascus
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, and National Intelligence Agency (MİT) Director İbrahim Kalın paid a comprehensive visit to Damascus, the capital of Syria.
The delegation held meetings with Syrian officials, including President Ahmed Shara.
A key topic discussed during the talks was the implementation of the March 10, 2025, agreement, which envisages the activities of the PKK’s Syrian branch, the SDF, in Syria and their integration into the Syrian army.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking at a joint press conference with his counterpart Asad Hassan Sheibani, said, “We see that the SDF does not intend to make much progress.”
Foreign Minister Fidan stated regarding the meetings, “We had productive discussions. We addressed regional issues, bilateral issues, and issues related to Syria in a manner befitting our strategic cooperation.” Emphasizing Türkiye’s commitment to Syria’s stability, Fidan added, “The stability of Syria means the stability of Türkiye. You know the importance Türkiye attaches to Syria’s stability. Therefore, we are always ready to provide all possible assistance and cooperation.” Fidan also drew attention to Israel’s stance in the region, saying, “Instead of pursuing expansionist policies in the region, Israel’s adoption of a mutually agreeable approach with regional countries would contribute to the stability of the region and global security.”
Regarding the integration talks between the SDF and the Damascus administration, Fidan said the following:
“It is important that the integration of the SDF into the Syrian army takes place on the basis of dialogue and compromise, in a way that benefits all parties. However, we see that the SDF does not intend to make much progress. The fact that the SDF is coordinating certain activities with Israel constitutes a major obstacle in the negotiations with Damascus.”
Syrian Foreign Minister Sheibani also commented on the March 10 Agreement, saying, “This agreement reflects Syria’s will to ensure its territorial integrity and unity.” Sheibani added, “The Jazeera region is an integral part of Syria. Any delay in integration negatively impacts this region and hinders the reconstruction process.”
Sheybani stated that during the past period and as of today, the SDF has not shown any real and serious will or taken any concrete steps to implement the agreement; on the contrary, there has been a systematic process of delaying tactics.
Shaybani stated that a proposal aimed at revitalizing the integration process, particularly regarding the military aspect, has recently been put forward, adding, “This proposal was prepared by our Ministry of Defense, and the other side’s response reached us yesterday.”
The Turkish delegation was greeted at Damascus International Airport by Syrian Foreign Minister Asad Hassan Sheibani, Defense Minister Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra, and Chief of General Intelligence Hussein al-Salama. Following this, a meeting was held with President Ahmed Shara at the Presidential Palace. The Syrian state news agency SANA reported that the meeting addressed bilateral relations as well as regional developments. According to SANA, the discussions covered economic and trade cooperation, the new situation following the lifting of US sanctions on Syria, intelligence and military cooperation, the return of refugees, and the March 10th Agreement signed between the SDF and the Damascus government.
During the visit, Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler also held a bilateral meeting with Syrian Minister of Defense Major General Murhaf Abu Kasra. A statement from the Ministry of National Defense reported that military and security issues were discussed during the meeting.
President Erdoğan announced the construction of a domestically produced aircraft carrier
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced last week at a ceremony that Türkiye has begun the process of building its own aircraft carrier.
President Erdoğan attended the “Commissioning, Flag Raising and First Steel Cutting Ceremony of Naval Platforms” held at the Istanbul Shipyard Command.
Erdoğan began his speech here by thanking all the employees who are serving with great dedication throughout the Blue Homeland.
Erdoğan continued his speech as follows: “As you know, in September 2018, we signed a contract for the construction of four MİLGEM ships to meet the needs of the Pakistan Navy. We delivered the first ship, PNS Babur, to Pakistan on May 24, 2024. Today, we are delivering PNS Khaibar, which has successfully completed all tests and trial activities. The fourth ships of the project are being built at Karachi Shipyard. The delivery of the third ship, PNS Bedir, is planned for the end of June 2026, and the fourth ship, PNS Tariq, for the first quarter of 2027. I wish these ships, equipped with the latest technology, good luck and success to our brotherly Pakistani navy.”
President Erdoğan emphasized that the friendship between Türkiye and Pakistan, whose roots extend deep into shared history, and which has been tested for centuries, will continue, flourish, and strengthen until the end of time, God willing.
Erdoğan continued his speech by emphasizing the work towards the Blue Homeland:
“At the forefront of these is our TCG Hızırreis submarine, which will be the national guardian of the silent depths with its air-independent propulsion system and advanced solar capabilities. We are commissioning the Hızırreis submarine today. Another platform we are commissioning is our new type landing craft, the Ç-159. This platform will operate in stormy waters both in military operations and in humanitarian aid operations during peacetime. Our ULAQ armed unmanned naval vessel is another source of pride. ULAQ, a symbol of digital transformation and artificial intelligence-based autonomous systems at sea, is a pioneer of the future operational field. Another feature of the ULAQ armed unmanned naval vessel is that it uses a marine engine with a 90% localization rate developed by Turkish engineers. I wish all three naval platforms success.”
President Erdoğan stated that the TCG Koçhisar patrol vessel is also a symbol of the will to protect rights and laws in the blue homeland, and said, “We will add Koçhisar, which will serve our nation in peacetime and be our deterrent force in times of crisis, to our navy at the end of May. Today, we will also carry out the steel cutting for our offshore patrol vessel Seferihisar. I wish it good luck and success from now on.”
Erdoğan continued: “It is a fact that success in defense can only be achieved with a holistic strategy. Without being strong in the air, effective at sea, you cannot be a deterrent on land. Thank God, we are demonstrating a very strong presence in all these areas. We are increasing our capacity day by day, continuously developing our capabilities and resources, and producing our own technology ourselves. More than 3,500 companies and over 100,000 people in our defense sector are dedicating everything they have to Türkiye’s secure future. From research and development to design, from software to mass production, we manage all processes with our domestic and national resources. Currently, we are the 11th largest country in the world in defense exports. In the last 11 months, our defense and aerospace exports increased by 30 percent compared to the same period last year, reaching 7 billion 445 million dollars. Our exports in November alone increased by 22 percent compared to the previous November, reaching 742 million dollars. As of this morning, 8.6 billion…” We have surpassed the dollar. We believed in ourselves. We trusted the Turkish defense industry. We achieved these figures in a short time. Of course, we will not stop here.”
President Erdoğan pointed out that their target for 2028 is to be among the top 10 countries in the world in “defense and aerospace exports” with $11 billion in exports.
Noting that they are making solid progress towards this goal, President Erdoğan stated, “I would also like to express with great satisfaction here; Türkiye is one of the 10 countries in the world that develops and launches its own warships.”
Erdoğan also announced the start of aircraft carrier construction with the following words: “Another strategic project of ours, the Bayraktar TB3, has entered the inventory. We have started the construction processes of our 300-meter-long aircraft carrier, which will be the older sibling of the TCG Anadolu. We are meeting both our own needs and the demands of our friends and allies in all naval platforms, from unmanned vehicles to frigates.”
Numerous Pakistani officials and military personnel also attended the ceremony where Erdoğan gave a speech.
Large-scale drug operations
Another topic on the agenda in Türkiye was the drug operations that began targeting journalists and expanded to different sectors.
Following the arrest and detention of Habertürk’s Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Akif Ersoy and presenter Ela Rümeysa Çelebi on allegations of drug use, numerous drug-related operations targeting journalists, businesspeople, and artists have begun.
As part of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Akif, along with presenter Ela Rumeysa Cebeci and Ersoy’s friends Mustafa M., Ufuk T., and Ebru G., were arrested. Social media phenomenon Sercan Yaşar, who was accused of selling drugs to celebrities, was released from prison after benefiting from the provisions of effective repentance. It was reported in the press that the investigation also involved questioning Fenerbahçe Sports Club president Saadettin Saran, as well as journalists and artists. Saran denied the allegations, claiming that he was being subjected to a smear campaign.
On the other hand, news reports emerged claiming that witnesses who testified as part of the investigation alleged that Mehmet Akif Ersoy, using the power he wielded as the Editor-in-Chief of Habertürk, forced female news anchors into sexual encounters and participation in such parties. Ersoy denied all allegations, and his employment at Habertürk was terminated following the initiation of the investigation.
Media reports and analyses suggested that the drug operations, which were predominantly launched by the media, might also have political motives behind them. In this context, many news reports emphasized the political connections of Ersoy, who was arrested as part of the operation.
Ersoy, however, issued a correction regarding his statement that he was the target of a “political operation,” saying that “my words went beyond their intended meaning.” Meanwhile, Furkan Torlak, whose name was mentioned in the press in connection with the investigation that led to Ersoy’s arrest, announced his resignation from his position as Coordinator of the Disinformation Center under the Presidency’s Communications Directorate, stating that although there was no investigation against him, he resigned to prevent damage to the institution he worked for.