Overview
- Foreign ministers from the R4 group (Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt plus partners) and the E3 (Germany, the United Kingdom, France) met in Istanbul on Friday in a format that brings those regional and European teams together for the first time.
- Germany sent Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and other attendees included the UK and French ministers, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reported to have joined the talks at short notice.
- The agenda focused on the Palestinians, escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi targets and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the conflict in Yemen and secondary effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine such as disrupted Black Sea grain exports.
- The summit followed a Doha meeting this week that discussed closer military cooperation among Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia and Qatar and signals growing regional security cooperation that could reduce reliance on external powers.
- Analysts say Turkey aims to cement its role as a regional convenor and shift responsibility for crisis management to local states, a move likely to reshape partnerships in the Middle East and affect energy flows, trade routes and diplomatic ties with the United States.