Turkey's Erdogan praises Russia, China for backing arms embargo on Israel, hopes for Trump's support

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday (November 13) praised Russia and China for backing his initiative to impose an international arms embargo against Israel.

Speaking after visits to Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan, Erdogan called the joint effort “an important step,” as he seeks broader support for halting weapons supplies to Israel.

“China and Russia have both said that Israel’s attacks are unjust and illegal. They also talk about the need to stop the attacks and settle the issue diplomatically. Russia and China have signed our joint initiative calling on the UN to take measures to stop the supply of arms and ammunition to Israel. This is an important step,” Erdogan told reporters, according to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency.

Erdogan warned that continued arms supplies would lead to more aggression from Israel and worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Lebanon, and other nearby territories.

“The humanitarian situation in Palestine and Lebanon will continue to deteriorate daily if Israel is not stopped. As long as humanitarian aid is not freely delivered, people will die there every day due to lack of medicine, hunger, thirst, and merciless attacks,” he was quoted as saying.

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But China and Russia, who have been vocal in opposing Israel’s actions in the Gaza war and the US administration’s support to it, are not the only countries Erdogan is hoping to get support from.

Last week, Erdogan expressed hope that US President-elect Donald Trump would adopt a new approach to the Middle East.

He was suggesting that a pivot from Washington’s previous policies could help address ongoing conflicts in the region.

On Friday (November 8), Erdogan voiced optimism that the Trump administration would support diplomatic efforts to end conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, urging Trump to tell Israel to “stop” its actions.

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Erdogan added that continuing Biden-era policies would “deepen the deadlock in the region and spread the conflict.” He suggested that halting arms supplies to Israel would be a necessary first step to mitigate violence in Gaza and Lebanon.

Erdogan’s comments come amid mounting regional tensions and ongoing debates over U.S. policy in the Middle East as Turkey, Russia, and China call for new measures to address the crises in Israel and Palestine.

With inputs from agencies