Erdogan vows Türkiye will prevent repeat of Srebrenica genocide

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday described the 1995 Srebrenica massacre as a dark stain on human history — particularly in Europe — as he marked the 31st anniversary of the genocide during remarks following a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara. He said Türkiye would continue working for "a stable and prosperous Bosnia and Herzegovina where people of different faiths, cultures and ethnic identities live together in peace," emphasizing that the wounds left by the killing of 8,372 Bosniaks — including women, children and the elderly who were buried in mass graves — continue to bleed even after three decades. Erdogan criticized the international community for failing to intervene, stating that "Western countries and institutions merely stood by and watched the attempt at ethnic cleansing in the heart of Europe," and noted that UN peacekeepers deployed to protect civilians in designated safe zones proved unable to prevent the systematic slaughter.

NATO summit raises Ankara's profile

Erdogan said the July 7-8 NATO summit in the capital Ankara had increased the country's international visibility "more than ever before" at a time when the old order is in intensive care and new systems are experiencing birth pangs, calling the gathering "one of the most closely followed NATO summits by the media" compared with previous alliance meetings he had attended. All 32 alliance members were represented at the meeting, including US President Donald Trump, alongside nearly 4,800 high-level participants from NATO's Asia-Pacific and Gulf partners, according to the Turkish leader. More than 2,500 local and foreign journalists covered the event, he added, noting that Türkiye reopened the Etimesgut Military Airport to ease traffic at Esenboga Airport and facilitate official visits during the gathering that showcased what he called the full grandeur of Türkiye's deep-rooted state tradition.

Defense cooperation and bilateral ties

NATO leaders agreed during the summit to establish a Counter-Unmanned Systems Centre of Excellence in the central Turkish province of Konya, Erdogan said, adding that the inaugural Defense Industry Forum drew nearly 1,000 participants as the alliance sought to remove barriers to defense industry cooperation. He described Trump's official visit to Türkiye — the first by a sitting US president in 17 years — as "highly significant," and said Ankara would continue working with Washington to strengthen bilateral relations, increase trade volume to $100 billion, and promote peace and stability in the region. Erdogan also noted that he discussed developments in Syria with President Ahmad al-Sharaa, raised Israel's attacks on Gaza and Lebanon during the summit, hosted seven defense and security events on the sidelines, and offered condolences to Qatar over the death of former Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani — describing him as a visionary leader who played a key role in Qatar's development, supported the Palestinian cause, and strengthened Doha-Ankara ties.