Erdogan Saudi Arabia visit is scheduled for Friday as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan undertakes what his office describes as a routine one-day working trip amid heightened regional strains.
The journey is Erdogan’s second to the kingdom this year and his first since the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran, as Ankara and Riyadh seek to deepen ties.
What’s on the table for the Erdogan Saudi Arabia visit?
Erdogan is expected to take part in a three-way meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who arrived Thursday for a three-day stay accompanied by Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Turkish presidential communications director Burhanettin Duran said discussions would cover bilateral relations and regional developments, without releasing a formal agenda.
“During the visit, it is envisaged that President Erdogan will meet with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, as well as with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan,” Duran said.
Regional outlets have reported that the talks are expected to address maritime security, the repercussions of the US-Israel war on Iran and defence cooperation. Turkish officials have not provided specifics.
A defence pact in the making?
The trip comes as multiple media reports suggest the three countries could ink a formal alliance.
A person familiar with the Saudi military told the AFP news agency that the leaders plan to sign a joint defence agreement in Jeddah on Friday. A Turkish intelligence source said the pact’s basic terms have already been settled among the three sides.
If confirmed, the accord would likely broaden the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in September 2025, which treats an attack on one as an attack on both, into a trilateral framework that includes Turkiye.
None of the three governments has publicly confirmed such a deal, and it remains possible the meetings yield only a more limited joint statement.
Why now?
Erdogan’s previous trip to Riyadh in February also stirred talk of a Turkish-Saudi alignment, though no alliance was formalised.
The timing of Friday’s engagement is notable. It follows Saudi Arabia’s unveiling last week of a multinational maritime security initiative to safeguard shipping through the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden, a coalition that already includes Turkiye and Pakistan among 14 backers.
The visit also comes after months of turbulence in the Strait of Hormuz linked to the US and Israel’s war on Iran, with Islamabad casting itself as a mediator.
Iran has answered US and Israeli attacks by launching missiles and drones at bases hosting American forces across the region, including in Gulf states, and has also struck hotels and energy infrastructure.
Separately, Saudi Arabia is confronting heightened friction with the Houthis in Yemen. The sides have exchanged attacks in recent weeks, and the Yemeni group has targeted Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea.
What happened the last time Erdogan visited?
Following the February visit, Ankara and Riyadh issued a joint statement pledging to enhance cooperation in the economy, energy and security.
The statement said they aimed to strengthen and develop defence ties to serve both countries’ interests and contribute to regional security and stability, including through multilateral platforms.
They also signalled alignment on supporting a ceasefire in Gaza and backing the internationally recognised government in Yemen, while rejecting Israel’s recognition of Somaliland in Somalia.
On Somalia, both sides affirmed support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and their commitment to its stability and the well-being and development of its people.