Turkish President reaffirms support for Georgia’s sovereignty, vows closer cooperation

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday said that Georgia and Türkiye would cooperate to promote peace and development in the region.

In his remarks at a joint briefing with his Georgian counterpart, Erdoğan noted that the two countries were not only neighbors but also strategic partners bound by deep historical, cultural, and human ties.

He emphasised their joint participation in key projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway - the backbone of the Middle Corridor - as well as strategically important oil and gas pipelines.

“Our discussions, based on these economic, cultural, and historical ties, reaffirmed our readiness to deepen our relations. Türkiye has long been Georgia’s largest trading partner, which shows our cooperation is built on a solid foundation. Our trade turnover stands at $3 billion, and we aim to raise it to $5 billion alongside expanding mutual investments”, the Turkish President said.

He further highlighted that thousands of Turkish companies operated in Georgia, with over 300 major construction projects worth billions had already completed.

Erdoğan stressed the importance of completing the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, expanding cooperation in defense and security, and exchanging views on regional and global developments.

He reaffirmed Türkiye’s firm support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and noted the role of trilateral mechanisms with Azerbaijan in strengthening regional peace and security.

The Turkish President announced that the next trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting would be held in Türkiye, along with plans for a trilateral meeting of parliamentary speakers.

Erdoğan further said the sides had discussed the issue of Meskhetian Turks, with Türkiye pledging support for their repatriation process.

He expressed hope that the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers between the two national football teams would further strengthen friendship between the Turkish and Georgian peoples.

Earlier, an official welcome ceremony for President Kavelashvili was held at the Turkish Presidential Palace.