Turkiye’s Erdogan visits Saudi Arabia: What to expect

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Erdogan volition conscionable with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his bureau says.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is visiting successful Saudi Arabia connected Friday for what his bureau has billed arsenic a regular one-day moving sojourn amid determination tensions.

The travel volition beryllium Erdogan’s 2nd sojourn to the kingdom this twelvemonth and the archetypal since the outbreak of the US-Israel warfare connected Iran, arsenic the 2 countries deepen ties.

What’s connected the table?

Erdogan is expected to clasp a trilateral gathering with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who arrived successful the kingdom connected Thursday for a three-day sojourn alongside Pakistan’s service chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Turkish statesmanlike communications manager Burhanettin Duran said the travel would absorption connected “bilateral relations and determination developments” without detailing a ceremonial agenda.

“During the visit, it is envisaged that President Erdogan volition conscionable with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, arsenic good arsenic with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan,” Duran said.

Regional media reported that talks volition centre connected maritime security, the fallout from the US-Israel warfare connected Iran and defence cooperation, but Ankara has been notably tight-lipped astir specifics.

(FILES) Vessels are seen anchored successful the Strait of Hormuz, disconnected the larboard metropolis of Khasab connected Oman’s bluish Musandam Peninsula connected May 17, 2026.

A defence pact successful the making?

The sojourn comes arsenic aggregate quality outlets study that the 3 countries whitethorn motion a ceremonial alliance.

A root adjacent to the Saudi subject told the AFP quality bureau that the 3 leaders are acceptable to motion a associated defence statement successful Jeddah connected Friday, portion a Turkish quality root said the pact’s foundational presumption had already been agreed to among the 3 sides.

If confirmed, specified an statement would apt widen the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed successful September 2025, which treats an onslaught connected 1 arsenic an onslaught connected both, into a three-way model with Turkiye.

None of this has been confirmed publically by immoderate of the 3 governments, and it remains imaginable the sojourn brings a much humble associated connection instead.

Why now?

Erdogan’s past sojourn to Riyadh successful February had brought akin speech of a Turkish-Saudi axis, but specified an confederation was not formalised.

The timing of Friday’s sojourn is nary little significant. It comes a week aft Saudi Arabia unveiled a multinational maritime information inaugural to support shipping done the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. The conjugation has already been backed by 14 countries, including Turkiye and Pakistan.

The sojourn besides follows months of upheaval successful the Strait of Hormuz, caused by the US and Israel’s warfare connected Iran, successful which Islamabad has positioned itself arsenic the go-to mediator.

Iran has retaliated against US and Israeli attacks by launching missiles and drones astatine subject bases that big American troops crossed the region, including successful Gulf states. Iran has besides targeted hotels and vigor sites successful the region.

Separately, the kingdom has been dealing with heightened tensions with the Houthis successful Yemen. The 2 sides person been trading attacks implicit the past weeks. And the Yemeni radical has been targeting Saudi ships successful the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan (L) speaks with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arsenic U.S. President Donald Trump presents the “Board of Peace” astatine the World Economic Forum (WEF) connected January 22, 2026 successful Davos, Switzerland. The US-backed “Board of Peace” is intended to administer the fragile ceasefire successful the Gaza Strip aft the warfare betwixt Israel and Hamas. The last constitution of the committee has not been confirmed. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

What happened the past clip Erdogan visited?

After the February trip, Ankara and Riyadh released a associated connection pledging to heighten economic, vigor and information cooperation.

“They affirmed their tendency to fortify and make their defence relations successful a mode that serves the interests of some countries and contributes to achieving information and stableness successful the region, including done multilateral practice platforms,” the connection said.

They besides expressed alignment connected enactment for the “ceasefire” successful Gaza and the internationally recognised authorities successful Yemen, portion rejecting Israel’s designation of the breakaway portion of Somaliland successful Somalia.

“Regarding the Somali issue, some sides affirmed their unwavering enactment for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and their committedness to preserving Somalia’s stableness and the prosperity and improvement of its people,” they said.

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