The Erdoğan and Pashinyan Meeting – What Does It Mean for the Middle East and the Caucasus?

On June 20, a historic event took place in Turkish foreign policy – President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Istanbul. This was officially reported by the Turkish president’s communications office on the social network X.

The meeting took place at the Dolmabahçe Palace. It is significant not only for bringing closer the long-frozen relations between the two countries, but also for the entire peace process in the Caucasus region. Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Alen Simonyan, called this visit a “historic event” and emphasized that this was the first official visit of an Armenian leader to Turkey at such a level.

It should be recalled that Pashinyan had previously visited Turkey in 2023 – to participate in Erdoğan’s inauguration. However, this visit was a direct dialogue between the two countries in the absence of diplomatic relations. Yerevan described the visit as necessary not only for improving ties with Ankara, but also for mediation in resolving the conflict with Baku.

According to AFP, Pashinyan arrived in Turkey at Erdoğan’s personal invitation. During these negotiations, the Turkish leader also expressed his concerns regarding the current serious situation between Israel and Iran, the risks in the Middle East, and regional stability. Turkey, as a country with borders with both Iran and Armenia, announced its readiness to actively use diplomatic instruments to ensure peace.

Erdoğan also highly appreciated the agreements reached in the latest negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, calling for their support. During the talks in Istanbul, issues such as promoting the peace process in the South Caucasus, resolving disagreements through diplomacy, and ensuring long-term regional stability were discussed.

According to Anadolu Agency, Erdoğan’s statement that “our goal is to build a structure that will help resolve not only Turkish-Armenian relations, but also all conflicts in the Caucasus and the Middle East” gave the meeting a spirit of high political tolerance and a desire for peace.

This dialogue is expected to remain in history as one of the most important stages of bilateral diplomacy. Stability in the Caucasus is crucial not only for Turkey and Armenia, but for the future of the entire region. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!