Hulusi Akar

The defense ministers of Greece and Türkiye met on June 16 on the sidelines of a NATO meeting amid renewed tensions between the neighboring countries and allies, Türkiye's defense ministry said.

By George Gilson

Defense ministers of Turkey, Britain and Ukraine had a tripartite meeting and discussed current issues on the sidelines of the NATO defense ministers meeting.

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, exchanged opinions on regional defense and security issues, and the latest developments in Ukraine on June 16.

A hotline has been established between the defense ministries of Turkey, Ukraine and Russia for making the grain export through the Black Sea possible, the Turkish Defense Ministry has said, expressing hope for accomplishing all technical and military details in the coming days.

Turkey and Greece can resolve their problems only by establishing dialogue and direct contacts, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said, criticizing certain Greek politicians for escalating tension between the two neighbors for their political ambitions.

Turkish army has started hitting some PKK/YPG targets in northern Syria's Tal Rifaat and Manbij districts with cannon fire as the preparations for an upcoming crossover military operation, aimed to be conducted for safe return of some 500,000 Syrians, are ongoing.

After months of declarations from top Turkish government officials that Greece's sovereignty over a number of its islands in the eastern Mediterranean is contingent upon Athens demilitarising them, now Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar has reportedly decided that he wishes to forbid Deputy Defence Minister Nikos Hardalias from visiting the said islands without Ankara's permission.

Turkish and Russian top diplomats, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Sergey Lavrov will discuss the modalities of a secure corridor to be established through the Black Sea for the shipment of nearly 20 million tons of grain to world markets to avoid a major global food crisis.

No one should try to prevent Turkey from conducting a military operation in Syria's north to secure its borders, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said.

"We act as principled, open, transparent and in compliance with international law as much as possible in all our activities," Akar told a group of journalists following a cabinet meeting late on June 6.

While voicing Turkey's support for ongoing peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said it's time to open a new page in the South Caucasus to build the future together by taking lessons from the pains suffered in the past.