President Erdogan Reaffirms Commitment to Strengthening Türkiye-Bulgaria Ties at Antalya Diplomacy Forum

Antalya, The Gulf Observer: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reaffirmed Türkiye’s dedication to enhancing bilateral relations with Bulgaria, particularly in the fields of defence, energy, and counterterrorism, during a high-level meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, according to a statement issued by the Turkish Presidential Communications Directorate.

“We will continue our efforts to diversify and deepen cooperation between Türkiye and Bulgaria in many areas, particularly the defence industry and energy,” President Erdogan stated.

The Turkish leader emphasized that expanding cooperation across strategic sectors is key to further solidifying long-standing ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Counterterrorism a Key Pillar of Cooperation

President Erdogan also placed significant emphasis on counterterrorism, describing it as a crucial area of ongoing collaboration. He underscored the importance of maintaining strong solidarity between Türkiye and Bulgaria in the face of shared security challenges.

“We expect Bulgaria to take concrete steps in this direction in the coming period,” Erdogan noted, signalling Ankara’s expectation for increased coordination and support from Sofia in countering terrorism-related threats.

Strengthening Regional Stability

The meeting between the two leaders reflects the growing momentum in Ankara-Sofia relations, driven by shared interests in regional stability, cross-border energy projects, and defence partnerships.

As both Türkiye and Bulgaria serve as important regional actors bridging Europe and Asia, the dialogue in Antalya is seen as a positive step toward strengthening mutual trust and advancing regional integration.