Turkish President Erdogan to Attend G7 Summit in Italy: Hosts Confirm

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to attend the Group of Seven summit in Italy next month, as confirmed by the Italian prime minister’s office on Wednesday. The meeting, scheduled to take place from June 13 to 15 in southern Italy, will bring together leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States.

Giorgia Meloni, the host of the summit, had a discussion with Erdogan where they discussed bilateral relations and international crisis scenarios. She expressed her gratitude for Erdogan’s confirmation of his participation in the summit. Apart from Erdogan, United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Pope Francis are also expected to attend the summit.

The focus of the summit is anticipated to be on the ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East. Erdogan’s attendance is significant as Turkey is a NATO partner, although recent tensions have arisen due to Turkey’s stance on Sweden’s NATO bid following Russia’s actions in Ukraine in 2022.

Erdogan has been vocal in his criticism of Israel’s response to the recent conflict in Gaza, making him one of the Muslim world’s harshest critics of Israel’s actions. His presence at the G7 summit will provide an opportunity for discussions on these pressing international issues.

Overall, Erdogan’s participation in the summit is expected to bring a unique perspective to the discussions and potentially pave the way for diplomatic resolutions to some of the world’s most pressing conflicts.