Turkish President Erdogan and Turkish Cypriot leader Erhurman attend UN events in New York

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in New York on September 21, 2026, to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly. He is scheduled to address the assembly for the 16th time on September 22. His four-day diplomatic agenda includes high-level meetings with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and various world leaders to discuss regional conflicts in the Middle East, Syria, Iran, and Ukraine, alongside matters of energy, trade, and defense industry cooperation. Erdogan’s initial bilateral meetings include talks with the Libyan Presidential Council President, Mohamed al-Menfi, focusing on the controversial Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum, followed by discussions with the Crown Prince of Kuwait regarding investment and energy.

Simultaneously, the diplomatic activity in New York extends to the Cyprus issue. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman is scheduled to hold a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on September 26, following a prior discussion on September 24 with Maria Angela Holguin, the Secretary-General’s personal envoy for Cyprus. Observers are closely monitoring President Erdogan’s upcoming address for any potential shifts in Turkey's official position concerning the status of the divided island, as international stakeholders seek clarity on Ankara's future diplomatic trajectory.