Türkiye Hosts First R4+E3 Meeting to Address Global Crises

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted an unprecedented diplomatic gathering in Istanbul on October 23, 2026, bringing together the R4 group—Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia—and the E3 group—the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. This first-time R4+E3 configuration was initiated by the Government of Türkiye to coordinate responses to escalating regional crises and secure vital international shipping routes.

The talks focused on ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, where British Foreign Secretary Edward Miliband advocated for diplomatic solutions to counter destabilizing Iranian tactics. The ministers also addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Fidan calling for increased international pressure on Israel regarding settlement expansion, and discussed security for Saudi Arabia against Houthi militant attacks.

Beyond the Middle East, the agenda included efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war and prevent the conflict from spreading into the Black Sea, following a rise in drone attacks on commercial vessels. These discussions coincided with NATO deploying additional surveillance assets to the region. Parallel to these ministerial meetings, Fidan led the 9th Istanbul Mediation Conference, which convened nearly 200 diplomats and experts to discuss regional ownership of peace processes.