Turkiye’s Erdogan visits Saudi Arabia: What to expect

What the report says

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in Saudi Arabia on Friday for a one-day working visit, according to his office, in a trip Al Jazeera said comes as regional tensions remain elevated. The visit is Erdogan’s second to the kingdom this year and the first since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran. He is expected to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is already in the kingdom for a three-day visit.

Al Jazeera reported that Turkish officials described the talks broadly as covering bilateral ties and regional developments, without releasing a detailed agenda. Regional media have said the discussions may include maritime security, the conflict involving Iran, and defence cooperation. The article noted, however, that Ankara has not confirmed those specifics publicly.

The trip has drawn attention because of reports that Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye may be considering a formal defence arrangement. Al Jazeera cited unnamed sources and said no government has publicly confirmed a three-way pact. If it were to emerge, it could expand on the Saudi-Pakistan mutual defence agreement signed in September 2025. The timing also follows Saudi Arabia’s recent maritime security initiative for the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb and Gulf of Aden, as well as continuing regional instability linked to Iran and the conflict in Yemen.

Al Jazeera also recalled that Erdogan’s February visit to Riyadh produced a joint statement on deeper economic, energy and security cooperation, alongside shared positions on Gaza, Yemen and Somalia.