Erdoğan meets world leaders in US to discuss Gaza crisis

NEW YORK

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has met with several world leaders ahead of his U.N. General Assembly address to discuss the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at New York's Turkish House, a skyscraper located across from the U.N. building, Erdoğan criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, accusing it of violating international law and human rights.

"Israel seeks to widen the circle of violence," Erdoğan told Scholz on Sept. 23, adding that Western support emboldens its aggressive actions.

The two leaders also discussed Türkiye-Germany bilateral relations, Ankara's EU membership bid and challenges Turkish citizens face in obtaining Schengen visas, according to Erdoğan’s office.

In separate talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Erdoğan emphasized the need for peace amid Israel’s attacks on Palestine and Lebanon.

He urged regional cooperation to counter Israel’s "aggression that threatens peace and stability."

The president further said the international community must take a stronger stance based on diplomacy and human rights to end the violence in Gaza.

He also hosted Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah, where discussions focused on the importance of united efforts within the Islamic world to address the escalating violence in Palestinian territories.

Erdoğan earlier met with the International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor, calling for Israel to be held accountable for its "genocide in Gaza."

"Israel is recklessly making plans to carry out new massacres, wrongfully thinking that there was no power to stop them," Erdoğan told Karim Khan.

He also said that "it is extremely important that the genocide case against Israel at the ICC must be concluded" and that perpetrators must receive necessary punishment, according to his office.

Khan in May requested the court issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

In a series of previous meetings held at the Turkish House, Erdoğan met with his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Later, he was also scheduled to meet with several other leaders, including Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof.

Erdoğan is in New York for his General Assembly speech scheduled for Sept. 24.

Following his bilateral talks, Erdoğan attended a meeting with business leaders on the sidelines of a Türkiye-U.S. Business Council (TAİK) conference.

“Economic and trade issues constitute one of the most important dimensions of our relations with the United States,” Erdoğan told sector representatives.

He underscored the shared goal of achieving $100 billion in bilateral trade, highlighting key sectors with strong potential for collaboration, including defense, renewable energy and the automotive industry.

“For this, unilateral practices such as additional customs duties, investigations and [Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act ] CAATSA sanctions in the iron, steel and aluminum sectors should now be abandoned,” he said.

“Our cooperation in the defense industry has fallen far short of its potential in recent years due to restrictions.”

He touched upon the recent approval of F-16 purchases from the United States. The finalized deal, greenlit by U.S. Congress, will allow Ankara to acquire 40 new jets and upgrade 79 existing ones.

Türkiye hopes that this will "open a new page and permanently lift the export barriers" in this area, Erdoğan added.