Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov of Kazakhstan at the Presidential Complex for talks on Thursday.

According to a statement released by the Turkish presidency, the meeting primarily focused on enhancing the longstanding ties between Türkiye and Kazakhstan, while also addressing pressing regional and global concerns, including the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Erdoğan expressed his condemnation of the Israeli administration's aggressive actions, emphasizing the urgent need for an immediate and lasting ceasefire. He underscored the importance of preventing the escalation of conflicts in the region and highlighted the role of the Organization of Turkic States in providing essential humanitarian aid to the affected civilians in Gaza.

Additionally, Erdoğan stressed the significance of advancing cooperation with Kazakhstan across various sectors, particularly in counter-terrorism efforts, economic collaboration, and the defense industry.

The discussions aimed to explore avenues for further strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations amidst evolving geopolitical challenges. (ILKHA)