Published November 27,2025

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Pope Leo XIV on Thursday said Türkiye plays an important place in both the present and future of the Mediterranean region and the wider world, praising the country for valuing its internal diversity.

“The image of the bridge over the Dardanelles (Çanakkale) Strait, chosen as the logo for my journey, eloquently expresses your country’s special role,” the pontiff, also the Vatican head of state, said in a joint address with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the capital Ankara.

Leo underlined that Türkiye’s internal diversity is one of its greatest strengths, saying that even before serving as a link between Asia and Europe, “this bridge connects Türkiye to itself.”

He said true civil society is built on “bridges that link its people together” at a time when many communities worldwide are increasingly polarized and “torn apart by extreme positions that fragment them.”

He stressed that the country’s different regions and identities form a “crossroads of sensibilities,” adding that “uniformity would be an impoverishment” for any society.

The pope also emphasized that Türkiye’s Christian community seeks to play a constructive role in the country’s unity, saying: “Christians desire to contribute positively to the unity of your country.”

He said that they “are, and feel part of, Turkish identity.”

The pope also highlighted the enduring significance of the family in Turkish society, saying, “More so than in other countries, the family retains great importance in Turkish culture,” supported by a range of initiatives that reinforce its central role.

TÜRKİYE’S BRIDGING ROLE

The pope expressed hope that Türkiye will continue to serve as a stabilizing force in its region, saying: “May Türkiye be a source of stability and rapprochement between peoples, in service of a just and lasting peace.”

He mentioned how four pontiffs before him-Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis-have visited Türkiye, which shows that the Vatican “not only maintains good relations with the Republic of Türkiye, but also desires to cooperate in building a better world with the contribution of this country, which is a bridge between East and West, between Asia and Europe, and a crossroads of cultures and religions.”

“The particular occasion of my own visit, the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, speaks to us of encounter and dialogue, as does the fact that the (Catholic Church’s) first eight ecumenical councils were held in the lands of present-day Türkiye,” the pope added, referring to the AD 325 Council of Nicaea, a pivotal event in early Christian history, held in what is modern-day Iznik.

RISING GLOBAL CONFLICTS

Pope Leo also warned that global conflicts could pave the way for a third world war, saying, “the future of humanity is at stake,” and so “we must in no way give in to this.”

He added that in the aftermath of the tragedies of two world wars, which saw the building of large international organizations, “we are now experiencing a phase marked by a heightened level of conflict on the global level, fueled by prevailing strategies of economic and military power.”

The pope warned that global divisions are draining energy and resources away from the challenges humanity urgently needs to confront together, which are “peace, the fight against hunger and poverty, health and education, and the protection of creation.”

He added that the Vatican, relying solely on its “spiritual and moral strength,” stands ready to work with all nations committed to the full and dignified development of every person.

Published November 27,2025

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Under a new deal, a consortium of Turkish construction firms will be involved in a project to develop and expand the capacity of Damascus International Airport.

Turkish construction giants Kalyon İnşaat and Cengiz İnşaat, Qatari construction firm UCC, US-based Assets Investments, the Syrian Finance Ministry, and the Syrian Civil Aviation General Authority inked a deal to rehabilitate the existing airport facilities, construct new terminals, and more at Damascus International Airport.

The four-phase modernization program will boost the airport’s annual passenger capacity to over 31 million in a decade, with a total investment of around $4 billion.

The Turkish firms, Kalyon İnşaat and Cengiz İnşaat, have carried out large-scale projects in strategic sectors like energy, infrastructure, and transportation both in Türkiye and worldwide.

The current project involves a comprehensive modernization program to revive and revitalize the Syrian aviation business. The air hub is expected to host 6 million passengers by the end of 2026 with the completion of Terminals 1 and 2, while the commissioning of Terminal 3 will boost the capacity to 13 million.

After all phases of the program are completed, the airport’s total capacity will rise to 31 million. During its implementation, the project will create over 90,000 direct and indirect jobs, while positively impacting the region’s capacity for trade, tourism, and logistics.

The deal also involves $250 million in aircraft financing to renew the fleet and boost the air hub’s operational capacity on international routes.

FROM IGA ISTANBUL AIRPORT TO DAMASCUS

Murathan Kalyoncu, the chair of Kalyon İnşaat, said in a statement that the firm is now moving forward with investments outside of Türkiye after having completed significant projects at home.

“We are now moving forward to implement this project, which will significantly contribute to the Syrian economy, regional development, and stability,” he said.

Kalyon previously implemented a globally acclaimed project, the IGA Istanbul Airport, in record time, and now the firm is ready to put their expertise in service of Syria, he said.

Kalyoncu added that the investment will modernize and expand Damascus International Airport and contribute to the development of Syria’s services sector, diversify transport options, boost employment, revitalize tourism, and open the Syrian business world to the outside world.

Asım Cengiz, the deputy chair of Cengiz İnşaat, said that the project is a key step in bringing Syria’s aviation infrastructure back to international standards.

“We will bring a safe, modern, and high-capacity airport with our expertise and global experience — this investment will revive the region’s trade and transportation network, while reflecting our determination to support the normalization of life in Syria and its long-term development goals,” he said.

“We aim to create a resilient, modern, and sustainable aviation infrastructure that can meet Syria’s future needs,” he added.

Published November 29,2025

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Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit the Sultan Ahmet Mosque – also known as the Blue Mosque – in Istanbul on Saturday during his first foreign trip to Türkiye.After a guided tour of the building in the heart of the city, a silent prayer is planned. The head of the Catholic Church is to be accompanied by the head of the Turkish state religious authority.However, unlike his two predecessors during their trips to Türkiye, Leo does not plan to visit the nearby Hagia Sophia. The former cathedral was converted into a mosque in 2020 after having been a museum since 1934.A meeting with Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I is planned for the afternoon. They intend to sign a joint declaration together.The Orthodox Churches have been independent since the Great Schism almost 1,000 years ago when, in 1054, the heads of the Eastern Church in Byzantium and the Western Church in Rome excommunicated each other.Leo and Bartholomew now want to send a signal of rapprochement between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. A large Mass is also scheduled for the evening.

Published November 29,2025

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Türkiye’s transport ministry said one of two empty oil tankers hit by blasts in the Black Sea late Friday had been struck again early on Saturday, blaming an unmanned sea vehicle.
“The Virat, which was previously said to have been attacked by unmanned maritime vehicles approximately 35 nautical miles off the Black Sea coastline, was attacked again by unmanned maritime vehicles early this morning,” the ministry said on X.

It said the tanker sustained only “minor damage” on the starboard side and that none of the 20-strong crew were hurt.

On Friday evening,Türkiye’s transport ministry said two empty oil tankers, the Virat and the Kairos, had reported explosions but sustained no casualties, suggesting they had been struck but without saying what had caused the blasts.

The ministry’s post was the first official confirmation that the Virat was attacked by drones.

The Kairos incident took place around 1500 GMT, with rescuers evacuating its 25 crew members after a fire broke out. At the time, it was about 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of the point where the Bosphorus Strait enters the Black Sea, officials said.

The Virat was struck later; at the time, it was about 400 kilometres further east, according to the VesselFinder tracking site.

Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said both vessels had been hit by “explosions”, telling Türkiye’s private NTV television they tankers might have been hit a mine, or been struck by a rocket or a drone.

“An external impact means the vessel was hit by a mine, a rocket, or a similar projectile, or perhaps by a drone, or by an unmanned underwater vehicle. These are the first things that come to mind,” he said.

GAMBIAN-FLAGGED, UNDER SANCTIONS

In a post on X, the maritime affairs directorate said the Kairos was “en route to Russia’s Novorossiysk” when it reported an “external impact causing a fire 28 nautical miles off” the Turkish coast.

Novorossiysk is a key Russian port city on the northeastern shores of the Black Sea near the entrance to the Sea of Azov.

It posted dramatic images of flames and thick black smoke pouring out of the vessel, with the blaze still raging some five hours later.

The directorate later said the Virat had reported “being hit approximately 35 nautical miles offshore”, saying that all 20 crew were unharmed but there was “heavy smoke detected in the engine room”, saying those on board had not requested evacuation.

Both tankers — which are flying a Gambian flag, according to the VesselFinder website — are subject to Western sanctions for transporting oil from Russian ports in defiance of an embargo imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, both sides have planted sea mines to protect their coastlines. Many have since been located and destroyed in the Black Sea, but others have drifted, notably due to storms, endangering shipping.

In response, NATO members Türkiye, Bulgaria, and Romania — all of whom border the Black Sea — set up the Mine Countermeasures Naval Group (MCM Black Sea) in 2024 to oversee de-mining operations.