Esra Karataş AlpayTürkiye and Georgia have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening regional cooperation and advancing peace during a high-profile meeting in Ankara, with the two leaders pledging to strengthen political, economic, and security ties.
Standing alongside Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili at a joint press conference on Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the partnership as “strategic” and said the two nations would continue to work “shoulder to shoulder” for stability in the Caucasus and beyond.
At the heart of their discussions was the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) Railway, which Erdogan called “the backbone of the Middle Corridor”, a key east-west trade route linking Asia and Europe.
Now operating at full capacity, the railway is expected to play a crucial role in boosting commerce between the two nations.
Regional experts see the BTK’s enhanced role as part of a wider strategic vision.
Basak Kuzakci, an assistant professor at Marmara University, tells TRT World the line is “far more than just a transportation link, it is the heart of the Middle Corridor, the new economic lifeline connecting the Turkic world between Asia and Europe.”
She adds: “President Erdogan’s description of it as ‘the backbone of the Middle Corridor’ succinctly captures both its economic and geopolitical importance.”
According to Kuzakci, the Middle Corridor will shape the future of global trade.
“The BTK is the strategic link that binds this chain seamlessly and securely, offering significant advantages in both time and cost,” she says.
Previously operating below full capacity, the line now benefits from expanded capacity, accelerating freight flows and reinforcing the route’s reliability, she adds.
Oktay Tanrisever, an international relations academic at the Middle East Technical University, says bringing the BTK to full operational capacity reflects Türkiye’s commitment to “regional ownership” in its Caucasus and Central Asia policy.
“By supporting both the BTK and the Zangezur Corridor, Türkiye is diversifying transportation routes, strengthening regional connectivity, and consolidating its central role in the East–West Middle Corridor, all of which will bring economic, diplomatic, and geopolitical advantages,” he adds.
Kuzakci said that the BTK is “not merely a rail project; it is a symbol of the shared vision of the Turkic world,” with growing freight flows poised to raise the Middle Corridor’s share in global trade.
Trilateral diplomacy
President Erdogan also highlighted cooperation in the defence industry and military fields and underlined the importance of trilateral mechanisms involving Türkiye, Georgia, and Azerbaijan in promoting regional security.
“While Ankara has expressed a positive view of the recently initiated agreement on the Zangezur Corridor, it is making clear that it will not accept any arrangement that excludes or bypasses Georgia,” Kuzakci tells TRT World.
It is a stance designed to address sensitivities in Russia and China while maintaining a balancing policy in global affairs.
Kuzakci also adds that economic expectations are increasing as freight volumes on the BTK have been rising each year.
“From just a few million tons in its early years, annual capacity could reach 17 million tons in the near future,” she says. “For Türkiye’s vision of becoming a global logistics hub, this represents a strategic leap forward.”
President Erdogan said that bilateral trade has surpassed $3 billion in recent years and set a new target of $5 billion.
“We are determined to promote mutual investments,” he said, adding that more than 2,000 Turkish companies operate in Georgia, attracted by its favourable investment climate.
For his part, Kavelashvili praised Erdogan’s diplomatic role in the Russia–Ukraine war, describing it as “extremely important for establishing peace between the conflicting parties.”
He invited President Erdogan to visit Georgia and expressed hope that the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council would convene soon.
The two leaders also discussed the Ahiska Turks, who were forcibly uprooted from their ancestral lands during the deportations of November 14, 1944. President Erdogan conveyed to Kavelashvili Türkiye’s expectations for their safe and dignified return.
Kavelashvili’s visit, which began on Monday, marks another step in what both sides portray as a steadily growing partnership, grounded in economic interdependence, shared security priorities, and a joint vision of the Caucasus as a corridor of peace.
