Observations on president’s US visit
Dr. Mehmet Muharrem KASAPOĞLU
Between Sept. 21 and 25, across the New York–Washington corridor, we witnessed not only the routines of diplomatic protocol but also the presence of a multi-layered statecraft focused on tangible outcomes. During the high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly, our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan first addressed the conscience of humanity from the podium. He then presented facts and targets at the table of economics. Finally, in Washington, he firmly addressed the technical issues required by the legal framework of the alliance. Each step taken along this path brought together, in a single frame, both Türkiye’s humanitarian stance and its strategic capacity.
Our president’s address at the United Nations General Assembly elevated the issue of Gaza to a new level in the struggle to resolve the ongoing deadlock. He described nearly two years of human tragedy not by reducing it to cold statistics, but by weighing it on the scales of law and conscience. Once again, he called—clearly and unequivocally—for a ceasefire, for uninterrupted humanitarian access and for the operation of deterrent mechanisms against human rights violations. He again underlined the formula for achieving peace: Without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, based on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital, neither lasting peace can emerge, nor can international law fulfill its purpose. This is not a mere observation. It is an urgent step that must be bound to a timetable and subjected to monitoring. The moral imperative is clear: principled clarity must be established without delay in the face of the suffering in Gaza.
This line was sustained at the Conference on Resolving the Palestinian Question and Implementing the Two-State Solution. Countries that recognized Palestine were commended, while those still hesitant were urged to act. It was underlined that the Palestinian cause has now become the world’s cause, and that all of humanity bears responsibility for it. The Netanyahu government’s policy of annexation and forced displacement was once again exposed as a strategy designed to suffocate the two-state solution. The message here was clear: The international community must either enforce the law and tie action to a timeline, or else stand by as new pages of shame are written. The disgraces of modern times remain etched in our memories as vividly as on the first day. Worse shames, however, are being written before our very eyes. To change this trajectory, Türkiye has established both a moral and a legal line—and through the voice of our president, has acted upon it.
On the U.N. podium, Gaza was not the only subject. The system itself was placed under scrutiny. The statement “the world is bigger than five” is not a slogan. It is a crystallized critique of the system’s deadlocks. If the veto order continues to block decisions and legitimize double standards, the result will be more Gazas, more records of shame, more genocides. This is why Türkiye demands not the “law of the powerful,” but the “power of law.” This demand is to return institutions to their founding principles, to repair dysfunction, and to render justice operational. Otherwise, in an arena where even U.N. personnel have lost their lives, the term “international community” risks becoming an empty cliché.
In addition, the dimension of soft power diplomacy was on full display this week. At the TASC gathering in Rockefeller Center, the dynamism of the Turkish- American community could hardly be contained within the hall. President Erdoğan’s warnings on Islamophobia and cultural racism clearly set out the expectation for higher standards of religious freedom.
At the roundtable meeting with the business community at the Turkish House, the language of economic diplomacy was clarified. American business leaders flocked to the venue. Our president held numerous significant meetings with CEOs and senior executives of multinational corporations. These discussions not only reinforced Türkiye’s standing as an investment hub in its region but also reflected the growing confidence in its investment ecosystem. The $100 billion trade target we set in 2019 has now transformed into a concrete horizon of shared determination. Mid-Term Program goals, steps in green and digital transformation, our logistics capacity, and supply chain advantages were presented in an integrated framework that inspires investor confidence. The emphasis on mutual investments and joint production in defense, energy, cyber and space ecosystems demonstrated that Türkiye has entered the strategic competitions of the 21st century fully prepared.
The complementary leg of this framework was Washington. In the White House meeting between our president and U.S. President Donald Trump, issues such as defense procurement and modernization, technical dossiers with concrete timelines, cooperation in civil aviation, energy security and new investments moved beyond merely expanding bilateral trade. They emerged as strategic pillars that rationalize burden-sharing within NATO, enhance regional deterrence and secure supply chains. With the conviction that alliance requires not only “crisis management” but also “opportunity management,” this meeting showed that multiple dossiers can be handled at the same table, simultaneously and with the same seriousness.
As we conclude this significant week, it must be emphasized that the most critical point to note is Türkiye’s holistic posture in foreign policy. From the Gaza question to economic relations with the United States, from criticisms directed at the United Nations system to the spectrum of bilateral cooperation, all of these issues are in fact pieces of the same picture. Türkiye has taken on not only the role of being the voice of the oppressed, but also the defender of the legitimacy of the global order and the guarantor of stability. This reflects a diplomacy where both conscience and reason speak with equal clarity.
The first defining feature of our president’s address at the U.N. General Assembly was the merging of moral discourse with legal discourse. The statements on Gaza went beyond an emotional reaction, constituting a rational call that directly referenced the fundamental articles of international law. The blending of these two languages positioned Türkiye not merely as a country that “reacts,” but as a game-changer that “proposes solutions.”
Secondly, the overall picture that emerged this week showed that sustainability and innovation can move forward side by side. In the fields of economy, trade, energy, defense and investment, continuity was preserved while new avenues were opened. These became the most prominent achievements of this week of diplomacy.
Thirdly, the meetings and messages throughout the week stood out as significant steps in strengthening both alliances and regional stability. Through numerous bilateral protocols, goals were transformed from abstract intentions into concrete mechanisms, timelines and measurable actions. Türkiye has placed each of these commitments on the table as strategic files to be pursued with determination.
In conclusion, the lesson to be drawn from this week is clear: Türkiye’s voice is not only a call, but also a roadmap, a plan and a vision. Justice for Gaza, fair representation at the U.N., and a mutually beneficial Türkiye–U.S. partnership have all become interconnected parts of the same framework. For us, the call for justice is not a show of power; it is an imperative of building a just order. With this understanding, we are taking steps that uphold the law, open humanitarian access, prioritize stability, accelerate investment and strengthen alliances. In an era of global uncertainty, all eyes have turned to Türkiye as the nation that makes decisions and opens pathways. Our President’s intense diplomatic activity has once again demonstrated that Türkiye is not a follower but a strategic actor shaping the course of history.
Dr. Mehmet Muharrem KASAPOĞLU
AKP Deputy for İzmir
Chairman of the Türkiye–U.S. Interparliamentary Friendship Group
