Published January 15,2026

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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fidan was received by President Bin Zayed.

Türkiye’s Abu Dhabi Ambassador Lütfullah Göktaş stated on social media that Fidan also met with his UAE counterpart, Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The discussions focused on bilateral relations between Türkiye and the UAE, as well as strengthening cooperation and joint initiatives across various sectors.

Published January 15,2026

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Türkiye’s ambassador said Syria’s stability and security are Ankara’s priority and pledged continued support to Damascus, after operations carried out by Syrian forces led to the withdrawal of YPG/SDF terrorists from parts of Aleppo.

Speaking to Anadolu during a visit to Aleppo on Wednesday, Turkish Ambassador to Damascus Nuh Yılmaz commented on recent developments in northern Syria and relations between Türkiye and Syria.

Yılmaz said a new political order has emerged in Syria after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government in December 2024, adding that Türkiye supports a new system that is inclusive and pluralistic and encompasses all segments of Syrian society.

He said a major obstacle to that goal had been the control by the YPG/SDF terrorist organization of roughly one-third of Syrian territory, including fertile land, oil resources and some border crossings, which he said imposed a high cost on the country’s recovery.

‘YPG/SDF HAS NOT COMPLIED WITH MARCH 10 AGREEMENT’

Referring to an agreement reached on March 10, 2025, between the Syrian government and the YPG/SDF, Yılmaz said the deal was meant to be implemented by the end of 2025, but that the group had not taken the necessary steps. He said Türkiye believes the organization used negotiations to gain time and strengthen its position rather than to resolve the issue.

Yılmaz said the Syrian army launched operations in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods of Aleppo after attacks by the group, adding that Damascus realized that the problem could no longer be resolved through talks alone. He said Türkiye closely monitored the operation and supported efforts to restore stability.

According to Yılmaz, the operation ended after YPG/SDF elements agreed to withdraw from the neighborhoods. He said civilian casualties were limited and praised measures taken by the Syrian authorities to protect civilians and allow those who laid down arms to leave safely.

‘OUR PRIORITY IS SYRIA’S STABILITY AND SECURITY’

“We celebrate Aleppo’s victory against terrorism. Our priority is Syria’s stability and security, and we will continue to support our Syrian brothers in every way,” Yılmaz said.

He said Turkish institutions, including the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and the Turkish Red Crescent, provided humanitarian assistance during the operation, including shelter and food aid.

Yılmaz said that following the operation, terrorist activity in Aleppo’s city center ended and displaced civilians began returning to their homes, calling this a positive sign of growing trust between the population and the Syrian government.

He also said that YPG/SDF terrorists, who left Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah, moved to Deir Hafir and Maskanah and carried out suicide drone attacks from those areas on civilian neighborhoods in Aleppo, posing ongoing security threats.

Yılmaz said former elements of the Assad regime joined YPG/SDF ranks, reflecting what he described as an undeclared understanding between the former regime and the terrorist group during the 15-year civil war, but added he did not expect them to change the course of the conflict.

‘WASHINGTON PLAYED A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN MARCH 10 AGREEMENT’

On relations with the US, Yılmaz said Washington played a constructive role in the March 10 agreement and did not allow weapons it provided to be used in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah. He said this showed US support for Syria’s transition toward stability and reconstruction.

He also welcomed the lifting of several US sanctions on Damascus, including those under the Caesar Act, saying it was an encouraging sign for future investment.

Yılmaz said Türkiye hopes the YPG/SDF will comply with the March 10 agreement, adding that the group’s actions have harmed Syrian Kurds, who are one of the essential elements of the country with the right to participate in politics centered in Damascus.

He also pointed to significant potential in Turkish-Syrian trade, noting growing interest from Turkish businesses, easing regulatory obstacles and recent agreements on transit of trucks that he said would help boost trade between the two countries.

Published January 16,2026

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Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev said Russia will do “everything to launch nuclear energy in Türkiye this year” regarding the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) under construction in Mersin. Speaking to Russian state channel Rossiya-24, he noted that operations to prepare Türkiye’s first nuclear power plant for commissioning would begin this year.

Likhachev highlighted the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar in this critical process, describing 2025 as “a challenging but victorious year.”

Despite economic difficulties, Likhachev said Rosatom has fulfilled its duties, stressing the severe pressures on the Akkuyu NPP, including delays in Siemens equipment deliveries, frozen $2 billion investments, and payment system breakdowns. He added, “Even under these conditions, we never stopped. We will do everything to advance nuclear energy in Türkiye this year,” noting strong support from Russian President Vladimir Putin and governmental institutions.

Likhachev also discussed broader Rosatom efforts, marking the 80th anniversary of the Russian nuclear industry and emphasizing that nuclear energy is essential, with international cooperation needed on an equal basis. He stated that the 21st century will be “the century of electricity,” underlining that sustainable and affordable electricity production is impossible without nuclear technology. Rosatom aims to offer long-term partnerships to countries open to collaboration.

Published January 16,2026

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The landmark High Seas Treaty, formally known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement, will enter into force on Saturday, Jan. 17, after securing the required 60 ratifications, marking a major step toward protecting marine biodiversity in international waters.

The agreement, adopted by the UN in 2023, establishes a legal framework for creating protected areas on the high seas and requires environmental impact assessments for activities that could harm fragile marine ecosystems.

Until now, the high seas, which cover about two-thirds of the world’s oceans, lacked comprehensive legal protection, with conservation measures largely confined to national and coastal waters.

– TÜRKİYE AS PARTY TO AGREEMENT

Globally, around 16,600 marine protected areas cover 9.6% of the world’s oceans, but only 3.2% are highly or fully protected with strict limits on activities such as fishing, according to the Marine Conservation Institute’s Marine Protection Atlas.

Speaking to Anadolu, Bayram Ozturk, head of the Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV), described the treaty as opening a new era for global ocean protection.

He stressed that high-seas protected areas do not ban fishing across all international waters, but instead create a strong legal framework to regulate activities, including outright bans in designated sanctuaries.

Effective implementation of the BBNJ agreement could significantly protect open-ocean biodiversity and close major gaps in ocean governance, he said.

Levent Bilgili of Bursa Technical University’s Faculty of Maritime Studies said the treaty will require vessels flagged by participating states and operations in international waters to meet higher standards of responsibility and ecosystem protection.

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), scheduled for November, will primarily take place in Antalya on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast, with a leaders’ summit planned in Istanbul.

As a party to the BBNJ agreement, Türkiye’s active involvement strengthens its position as host of COP31, where ocean-climate linkages are expected to feature prominently on the agenda, Bilgili told Anadolu.