← Back to overview Language: NL EN

We are determined to make Turkey a regional power that shapes global politics, not one that is shaped by it.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Address at the *Antalya Diplomacy Forum*, 2023 · Checked on 2 March 2026
We are determined to make Turkey a regional power that shapes global politics, not one that is shaped by it.

Analysis

At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on March 13‑15, 2023, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey aims to be a power that "shapes the world" rather than being "shaped by the world." The exact phrasing in the statement – "We are determined to make Turkey a regional power that shapes global politics, not one that is shaped by it" – does not appear in any official transcript or reputable news report, indicating the quote is a paraphrase rather than a precise citation.

Background

Erdoğan has repeatedly emphasized Turkey’s desire to increase its strategic influence regionally and globally. During the 2023 forum, he highlighted Turkey’s independent foreign policy and its role in regional security, aligning with the sentiment that Turkey should be a driver, not a follower, in international affairs.

Verdict summary

Erdoğan expressed a similar ambition, but the quoted wording is not an exact verbatim statement from the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2023.

Sources consulted

— https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/erdogan-says-turkey-wants-be-stronger-influence-world-2023-03-13/
— https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/erdogan-at-antalya-diplomacy-forum-turkey-will-be-a-driving-force-in-world/2957618
— https://www.tccb.gov.tr/en/press/press-release/2023/03/13/erdogan-at-antalya-diplomacy-forum