Seyit Kurt and Fatma Zehra Solmaz
13 July 2026•Update: 13 July 2026
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Türkiye is doing and will do everything necessary to prevent a recurrence of suffering like the Srebrenica genocide.
Speaking after chairing a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, Erdogan marked the 31st anniversary of Srebrenica genocide, describing it as a dark stain on human history, particularly in Europe.
He said Türkiye would continue working for “a stable and prosperous Bosnia and Herzegovina where people of different faiths, cultures and ethnic identities live together in peace.”
Erdogan also criticized the international community for failing to prevent the massacre, saying: "Western countries and institutions merely stood by and watched the attempt at ethnic cleansing in the heart of Europe." The UN peacekeepers, he added, were unable to protect civilians in areas designated as safe zones.
He noted that 8,372 Bosniaks, including women, children and the elderly, were killed and buried in mass graves, and that the wounds left by the genocide "continue to bleed" even after 31 years.
Ankara summit boosts Türkiye's global profile
Commenting on the July 7-8 NATO meeting in the Turkish capital, Erdogan said Ankara had increased its international visibility "more than ever before" by successfully hosting a “historic summit.”
Erdogan said the summit was "one of the most closely followed NATO summits by the media" compared with previous alliance meetings he had attended, adding that it showcased “the full grandeur of Türkiye's deep-rooted state tradition.”
He said all 32 NATO members were represented at the summit, including US President Donald Trump, and that Türkiye hosted nearly 4,800 high-level participants, as well as leaders and ministers from NATO's Asia-Pacific and Gulf partners.
The president said that at a time when "the old order is in intensive care and the new system is experiencing birth pangs," the presidential complex had become the center of global diplomacy.
Erdogan said more than 2,500 local and foreign journalists covered the NATO summit, adding that Türkiye took extensive security measures and reopened the Etimesgut Military Airport to ease traffic at Esenboga Airport and facilitate official visits.
NATO to establish counter-drone center in Konya
He said the NATO leaders agreed on the need to remove barriers to defense industry cooperation, noting that the summit's inaugural Defense Industry Forum drew nearly 1,000 participants.
Erdogan said NATO had decided to establish a Counter-Unmanned Systems Centre of Excellence in the central Turkish province of Konya.
He added that Türkiye used the summit to raise Israel's attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and on Lebanon, and reiterated that the Russia-Ukraine war should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
He said he discussed the latest developments in Syria with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and that Türkiye hosted seven defense and security events on the sidelines of the NATO summit.
Trump's first Türkiye visit in 17 years
Erdogan described US President Donald Trump's official visit to Türkiye – the first by a sitting US president in 17 years – as “highly significant.”
He said he welcomed Trump's positive remarks about Türkiye and the NATO summit, and that “we will continue working with President Trump to strengthen Turkish-American relations, increase bilateral trade to $100 billion, and promote peace and stability in our region.”
Erdogan also offered his condolences to Qatar following the death of former Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, describing him as a visionary leader who played a key role in Qatar's development and made lasting contributions to strengthening Türkiye-Qatar ties. He praised his support for the Palestinian cause and the broader Muslim world.
