Key Takeaways from the 2025 Antalya Diplomacy Forum – Georgetown Security Studies Review – ryan

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The world is in shambles. Can diplomacy mend what is broken? This was the central question underpinning the  fourth edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF), organized by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This forum, lasting from April 11 to 13 this year, brought together a diverse set of participants under the theme  “Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World.” The high-level event hosted over 4,800 participants, including heads of state and government, ministers, and parliament members from 148 countries. Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan opened the Forum with elaborations on Türkiye’s strategic position, standing at the heart of crises and tensions but also at the center of solutions for cooperation with its independent and proactive foreign policy.

The Forum was shaped around discussions on regional security in the Middle East, regional integration in the Sahel, the Black Sea, and the future of the War in Ukraine, dialogue in the South Caucasus, and normalization between Ankara and Yerevan. Türkiye, the meeting point of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, has been playing a leadership role in advancing diplomatic dialogue since the inception of ADF in 2021. The forum’s thematic shift from technology, which lay at the heart of the previous edition of ADF, to regional security and dialogue shows an important trend of change in international relations. 

What Is New in the Middle East And Africa – A Brief Summary

Dynamics in the Middle East have been evolving rapidly since Bashar Assad was overthrown as the President of Syria in December 2024. The past few months have introduced an ever-growing need for more vigorous diplomacy in the region. Assad’s successor, Ahmad al-Sharaa, expressed the commitment of the Syrian Arab Republic to dialogue and diplomacy, meeting with top officials from other countries in the region. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged international dialogue with Syria and called for the consideration of the lifting of sanctions on the reborn country.

Türkiye also hosted Nechirvan Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Barzani had bilateral meetings with President Erdoğan and interim President al-Sharaa as part of his visit. The meetings discussed critical developments in the security atmosphere in the Middle East and as well as the perpetual challenge of terrorism, touching upon the threat the Islamic State still poses. The Forum also hosted the 5^th meeting of the Turkish-Iraqi High-Level Security Mechanism meeting between respective foreign ministers Hakan Fidan and Fuad Hussein after Iraq designated the PKK as a banned organization. 

Foreign ministers of the Alliance of Sahel States, comprised of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, addressed threats of terrorism and military coups in a panel on security in the Sahel. Terrorism was a major discussion point in another panel, where the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud thanked Erdoğan for his assistance with counterterrorism efforts in the region, highlighting the broad geographic impact of terrorist threats from West Africa to the Horn in the East.

The War in Ukraine And Collective Security 

The second ADF in March 2022 was marked by a historic moment with a trilateral meeting between Türkiye’s foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba. Türkiye showed not only its commitment to peace in the Black Sea but also its historic and geographic role as a mediator. Both Ukrainian and Russian diplomats have been a staple of ADF since. This year’s edition, however, did not see a meeting between the two sides. Instead, Lavrov and Ukraine’s current foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, joined separate panels in the Forum. Türkiye is set to host a high-level meeting on post-ceasefire security and stability in the Black Sea on April 15 to16, which attributes further importance to the statements Lavrov and Sybiha made during this year’s ADF.

Lavrov’s remarks criticized the current world order, arguing that isolating Russia from global trade and international relations is not multipolarity but rather an obsession with the order that the United States created. He claimed the current era to be the reawakening of the Global South and blamed global institutions for being paralyzed. Lavrov followed up with the usual Russian talking points on the alleged dangers of NATO expansion, and that plans to include Ukraine in the alliance were a great mistake. He called for European Security discussions to be continued within the framework of a multipolarity movement, involving more countries, primarily of course Russia.

Lavrov further criticized the stance and policies of the Biden administration towards Russia. In stark contrast, he  praised President Trump’s efforts at normalization, claiming they ended what he called the “idiotic” policies of his predecessor. The Foreign Minister re-emphasized Russia’s commitment to eliminating conflict, referring to their discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh, not only in the context of the Ukraine war but also in creating stability broader in the Middle East, including the implications of the Iranian nuclear program.

Andrii Sybiha, on the other side, delivered his remarks on European Security and what the strategy of the West should be to end the War. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister highlighted the significance of cutting Ukraine’s dependence on the West for critical weaponry supplies. Ukraine has increased its domestic defense material production by sixfold compared to pre-war levels, contributing to deterrence against possible future Russian aggression. Sybiha emphasized that an independent Ukrainian deterrent is essential to raise the price for Russia, should it attempt to undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty further. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister also stressed that U.S engagement and leadership is critical to further increase the costs of hostile Russian actions, thereby contributing to deterrence. He made a powerful call that Ukrainian accession to NATO must remain on the table. Keeping this option in play is vital for strengthened transatlantic security and power contributions to Euro-Atlantic aspirations. The Helsinki Act was mentioned to justify Ukraine’s continued willingness for NATO accession, an act which Soviet Russia acceded to. Ultimately, Sybiha emphasized that peace means dignity. 

Sybiha called on world leaders not to end this war without regard to the Ukrainian people who are bearing the costs of Russian aggression. He asserted the importance of continued support not only to end the war but also for Ukraine’s reconstruction. He finally stated that Ukraine will be strictly opposed to any initiative or proposal that is not in line with territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security. The Foreign Minister ended his talk with “Crimea is Ukraine” and called the audience for Mustafa Dzhemiliev, the leader of the Crimean Tatar people, who was in the audience.

Javier Colomina, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Southern Neighborhood, re-asserted the importance of continued NATO and European support to Ukraine. Colomina argued that the outcome of the European Security architecture, transatlantic security and defense, should not change but the contributing factors should adapt, with increased support from Europe. Gordan Grlić Radman, Croatia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, also called for united and collective European Security against Russian aggression. He emphasized the need to forcefully condemn any violations of territorial integrity and sovereignty, and stressed the need for enhanced European security and defense efforts. He was joined by Finnish Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Security Policy Outi Holopainen, who emphasized the 360-degree approach of NATO and called to use OSCE better to address the security problems  Europe faces  vis-à-vis Russia. Stephen Doughty, the Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom, reminded the audience of the importance of understanding other threats to security, focusing on Russian shadow fleets, illicit financing of Russia’s aggression such as sanctions evasion, and organized crime against attempts to undermine societies and fuel aggression.

Turkish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mehmet Kemal Bozay regarded Türkiye’s approach as standing somewhere between inside and alongside the peace process. He touched upon the economic aspect of European security and non-military matters. Deputy Foreign Minister Bozay focused on  the grain scarcity affecting the entire world and how Türkiye’s efforts with the grain deal represented a  holistic understanding of security. He mentioned that all stakeholders  must be a part of the ecosystem of Europe’s security and play a role in ensuring collective welfare. He argued that Türkiye’s contributions must be analyzed not only within the scope of the military domain but also within the context of broader economic cooperation and willingness to utilize elements of national power. Bozay focused  particularly on Türkyie’s diplomatic vigor, restating the country’s commitment to global development and security. 

Recalibrating the South Caucasus: The Road to Normalization

Regional tensions have long marred cooperation in the South Caucasus, but ADF 2025 offered a rare opportunity for dialogue between the region’s key stakeholders. Antalya welcomed the Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia for a panel discussion on Challenges and Opportunities for Cooperation in the South Caucasus. The panel opened with a commentary on a recent peace deal struck by Azerbaijan’s minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan. 

Bayramov took a historical approach, mentioning Azerbaijan’s longstanding and consistent efforts since 2021 to reach a peace deal, voicing his  appreciation for finally having this deal materialized on paper. Yet, he voiced his concerns over Armenia’s constitution, which, according to him,  declares Karabakh to be within the borders of Armenia. Mirzoyan on the other hand took  a pragmatic approach, underlining that the two countries must not dig into the past and instead focus on solving current issues.  He argued that discussing historical grievances is not constructive and that it is obstructing the peace process. Armenia, like Azerbaijan, is looking forward to building lasting peace in the region. The most recent peace agreement, according to Mirzoyan, is the first step to ending institutional conflicts and he further asserted that Armenia is willing and ready to sign the paper immediately. Mirzoyan  called for  establishing a bilateral commission with Azerbaijan, and filing joint applications to the OSCE, thereby symbolizing both sides’  willingness for improved regional relationships. Armenia wants to build on what has already been accomplished rather than remembering old conflicts. He denied accusations that the Armenian constitution has a part that states Karabakh is a part of Armenia, but his Azerbaijani counterpart refused, arguing Armenia must change its constitution to proceed with a peace deal.

Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maka Bochorishvili, maintained a balanced approach, expressing interest in taking up the role of a mediator. Georgia enjoys good relations with both parties in the form of a strategic partnership with both Azerbaijan and Armenia. Relations with Armenia have just been updated to the status of a strategic partnership, demonstrating Georgia’s commitment to a more secure region. Bochorishvili reiterated that both countries can rely on Georgia to facilitate dialogue and cooperation. She concluded by inviting all countries to find common topics for improvement for the South Caucasus, underlining the huge potential of the region. 

The Forum was also productive for Ankara-Yerevan relations, with Foreign Ministers Fidan and Mirzoyan having a bilateral meeting discussing the ultimate goal of security in the region, normalization of ties between all neighbors. They also discussed the potential of international cooperation, expressing that the stance of the two countries regarding international issues are sometimes closer than what they would assume. 

Türkiye’s Claim to Leadership

For diplomacy, the fourth edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum was a success. The high-level event once again demonstrated Türkiye’s efforts to mediate conflicts and be a bridge to connect countries through diplomacy in a fragmented world. As conflicts increasingly take precedence over diplomacy, the ADF remains an important platform for multilateralism and regional cooperation, facilitating key bilateral discussions. The Forum connects diverse stakeholders, from opposing governments, to diplomats, non-profits, and private sector representatives.  ADF 2025 reflected Ankara’s ambition to foster dialogue and work towards enhanced regional and global security.  This Forum reflects  Türkiye’s claim to regional leadership and shows its diplomatic vigor and potential in shaping the future of its neighborhood, the wider region, and global dynamics.

Views expressed are the author’s own. The report is not affiliated with the Antalya Diplomacy Forum or the Government of Türkyie.