SINGAPORE: Türkiye and Singapore are among “a handful of wise and responsible nations” which have rejected “strategic resignation” amid a rapidly fraying global order but have instead turned to active diplomacy and regional partnerships, said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
“In this, Türkiye and Singapore share a common instinct,” said Fidan, who was delivering a lecture organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) at Singapore’s Raffles Hotel on Tuesday (Jun 2).
He said that the world is going through a rare historical moment “where nearly every fault line of the international system (is) moving at once”.
“We're witnessing what feels like decades of geopolitical turbulence compress into a few years,” he said.
The current international order no longer resembles “a fixed constellation” and that this has “profound consequences” on modern diplomacy and statecraft.
The minister further noted that the “traditional boundaries” between diplomacy and war, economy and security, as well as domestic and foreign policy “have blurred significantly”.
“This reflects the emerging reality driven by (the) rise of hybrid conflicts, hyperconnectivity, and the weaponiation of mutual interdependence. So, how are prominent global actors responding to this relentless motion and all these challenges?
“Global institutions are increasingly paralyed, and many actors continue to approach a changing world with obsolete assumptions. They remain unwilling or unable to leave comfort zones in which they long operated on autopilot; perhaps they are waiting for stability to reappear in a form they recognie,” said Fidan.
The minister noted that such an outlook is “not prudence”, but instead is an “abdication of agency”.
Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, and Veerle Nouwens, executive director of IISS–Asia, at the IISS Raffles Lecture on Jun 2, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Alyssa Tan)
Drawing parallels with Singapore, Fidan cited founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's belief that "the world doesn't owe us a living" as a philosophy that resonates with Türkiye's strategic outlook.
“How does one build stability in an age of protracted uncertainty? Our answer rests on two pillars. The first is disciplined use of diplomacy with strategic agency,” he said.
The second is in what he termed “regional ownership”, arguing that regional frameworks are becoming more effective than global institutions in addressing modern challenges.
Highlighting Asia's rising influence, Fidan pointed to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a successful model of consensus-building and regional cooperation in an increasingly fragmented world.
The lecture is part of a series - known as the IISS Raffles Lectures - that sees global leaders discuss developments in the Asia-Pacific region. Past speakers include foreign ministers for Germany and Finland Johann Wadephul and Elina Valtonen respectively.
The IISS is also known as the organiser behind the annual regional defence summit - Shangri-La Dialogue.
After his 15-minute speech on Tuesday evening, Fidan took questions from the audience members, including one who asked about what “obsolete assumptions” some countries were operating under, in reference to the minister’s earlier speech.
Fidan said that he was referring to countries who “like to see the world as they used to be” when the globe was dominated by “hegemonic powers”.
“I think we know that this strategic environment is unfortunately gone, and or about to be gone, so we need to come up with our own diagnosis and solutions for these problems that require a degree of ownership of the problem,” said Fidan.
“Because the United States made it very clear that the current international system and the foreign policy that the US have been following for decades is not working for the interests of the US anymore, so they are remapping, reshaping their strategic perspective,” he added.
Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, during a question-and-answer segment of the IISS Raffles Lecture on Jun 2, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Alyssa Tan)
Fidan was also asked about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, where he expressed confidence that the US and Iran were “sincere” in reaching a ceasefire deal.
On Feb 28, the US and Israel launched a wave of strikes in Iranian cities with Iran responding by launching retaliatory missile attacks at Israel and at several Gulf Arab allies of the US that host American bases.
Iran then also blocked shipping passages through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Both sides are under pressure to open the Strait of Hormuz. They have different reasons, but it’s the same desire, same objective. So that compels them to really reach a deal,” said Fidan on Tuesday.
However, the minister posited that US ally Israel “does not necessarily see an interest” in seeing a ceasefire deal, citing how Iran officials have had phone conversations with their Türkiye counterparts on Israeli troop movements in Lebanon, which have reached a point which are “not tolerable”.
“What Israel is doing in Lebanon is clearly in violation of our understanding, so we can expect such things from Netanyahu’s government,” he added, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Türkiye has been a fierce critic of Israel's military operations in Gaza as well as in Lebanon and Iran.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has strongly criticised Israeli military actions against Iran, arguing that they risk dragging the entire Middle East into a wider and potentially devastating regional war. Türkiye shares a 560km long land border with Iran.
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that talks with Iran were moving at a "rapid pace", even as Tehran threatened to widen the war by keeping the Strait of Hormuz blocked and activating other pressure points around the region.
On Tuesday, Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported that Tehran was reviewing the proposed agreement with the US but has not yet responded to a proposed final text of the temporary deal, and was taking a "stern" approach given what it sees as a history of US non-compliance and longstanding mistrust.
Weeks of indirect US-Iran talks, threats and air strikes have failed to end the war or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the key shipping channel for Gulf oil and gas.
A drone view shows vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman on Jun 1, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Stringer)
The latest overnight US-Iran exchange of fire coincided with Israel expanding its ground offensive in Lebanon, with Netanyahu vowing to push deeper into the country and instructing his military to strike "terror targets" in Beirut's southern suburbs.
On Tuesday, Fidan was also asked about Türkiye's plans to devise alternative routes to bypass movement of goods through the Strait of Hormuz.
In April, Turkish media reported that Ankara has developed five alternative routes for oil and gas supplies - including land and sea corridors running through Iraq, Syria, the Suez-Red Sea corridor and Oman.
Fidan acknowledged that he was holding discussions “with some countries involved” and cited options going through Syria, as well as a train route between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.
“We have started working on every available prospective project that will enable this connectivity. We've taken huge lessons (from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz),” said Fidan.
In his speech, Fidan also described ASEAN as an “indispensable partner” with which Türkiye could work more closely to advance global mobility, expressing hope that its cooperation with the regional bloc would soon be upgraded to a dialogue partnership.
“Our partnership with ASEAN embodies our broader vision for Asia. As a nation with deep roots in Asia, we are bound to this continent by enduring historical links, strategic ties, and a sense of shared purpose,” he said.
Fidan cited Türkiye’s “Asia Anew Initiative” launched in 2019, which he said was designed at giving a “strategic depth to a relationship that already had firm historical foundations”.
He said Türkiye’s engagement with Asia spans from political dialogue to economic cooperation and technology among others, “grounded in mutual respect” and institutional relations.
This includes permanent mechanisms ranging from high-level strategic cooperation councils to joint economic and trade committees, added Fidan.
“We bring along the institutional reach of a North Atlantic Military Organization (NATO) member, the experience of a nation deeply integrated with European institutions, the depth of enduring ties across the Global South, and a defence industry that has risen to meet the security demands of our age.”
Describing Türkiye as a reliable and “stabilising power in an unpredictable world”, Fidan said Ankara was working towards durable solutions to conflicts across its wider neighbourhood.
“We fully recognise that security is indivisible, that is the spirit in which Türkiye engages with this continent, and this is what we wish to deepen further,” he said.
The minister also highlighted Türkiye’s “strategic partnership" with Singapore, saying that the strategic realities of the two countries share clear parallels.
“Both of our countries sit at two of the world’s most vital strategic crossroads … Both of our countries believe that effective multilateralism and comprehensive international cooperation serve us better than fragmentation,” he said.
Looking ahead, the foreign minister said that there was “considerable scope” to deepen cooperation with Singapore.
Possible areas of partnership include the digital economy, frontier technologies, green transition, defence industry cooperation and a shared effort to uphold an open and rules-based international order, said Fidan.
“Moving forward, Türkiye and Singapore have every reason to work together in shaping what comes next,” he said.
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“In this, Türkiye and Singapore share a common instinct,” said Fidan, who was delivering a lecture organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) at Singapore’s Raffles Hotel on Tuesday (Jun 2).
He said that the world is going through a rare historical moment “where nearly every fault line of the international system (is) moving at once”.
“We're witnessing what feels like decades of geopolitical turbulence compress into a few years,” he said.
The current international order no longer resembles “a fixed constellation” and that this has “profound consequences” on modern diplomacy and statecraft.
The minister further noted that the “traditional boundaries” between diplomacy and war, economy and security, as well as domestic and foreign policy “have blurred significantly”.
“This reflects the emerging reality driven by (the) rise of hybrid conflicts, hyperconnectivity, and the weaponiation of mutual interdependence. So, how are prominent global actors responding to this relentless motion and all these challenges?
“Global institutions are increasingly paralyed, and many actors continue to approach a changing world with obsolete assumptions. They remain unwilling or unable to leave comfort zones in which they long operated on autopilot; perhaps they are waiting for stability to reappear in a form they recognie,” said Fidan.
The minister noted that such an outlook is “not prudence”, but instead is an “abdication of agency”.
Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, and Veerle Nouwens, executive director of IISS–Asia, at the IISS Raffles Lecture on Jun 2, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Alyssa Tan)
Drawing parallels with Singapore, Fidan cited founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's belief that "the world doesn't owe us a living" as a philosophy that resonates with Türkiye's strategic outlook.
“How does one build stability in an age of protracted uncertainty? Our answer rests on two pillars. The first is disciplined use of diplomacy with strategic agency,” he said.
The second is in what he termed “regional ownership”, arguing that regional frameworks are becoming more effective than global institutions in addressing modern challenges.
Highlighting Asia's rising influence, Fidan pointed to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a successful model of consensus-building and regional cooperation in an increasingly fragmented world.
The lecture is part of a series - known as the IISS Raffles Lectures - that sees global leaders discuss developments in the Asia-Pacific region. Past speakers include foreign ministers for Germany and Finland Johann Wadephul and Elina Valtonen respectively.
The IISS is also known as the organiser behind the annual regional defence summit - Shangri-La Dialogue.
After his 15-minute speech on Tuesday evening, Fidan took questions from the audience members, including one who asked about what “obsolete assumptions” some countries were operating under, in reference to the minister’s earlier speech.
Fidan said that he was referring to countries who “like to see the world as they used to be” when the globe was dominated by “hegemonic powers”.
“I think we know that this strategic environment is unfortunately gone, and or about to be gone, so we need to come up with our own diagnosis and solutions for these problems that require a degree of ownership of the problem,” said Fidan.
“Because the United States made it very clear that the current international system and the foreign policy that the US have been following for decades is not working for the interests of the US anymore, so they are remapping, reshaping their strategic perspective,” he added.
Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, during a question-and-answer segment of the IISS Raffles Lecture on Jun 2, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Alyssa Tan)
US-IRAN CEASEFIRE DEAL NOT IN ISRAEL’S INTEREST: FIDAN
Fidan was also asked about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, where he expressed confidence that the US and Iran were “sincere” in reaching a ceasefire deal.
On Feb 28, the US and Israel launched a wave of strikes in Iranian cities with Iran responding by launching retaliatory missile attacks at Israel and at several Gulf Arab allies of the US that host American bases.
Iran then also blocked shipping passages through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Both sides are under pressure to open the Strait of Hormuz. They have different reasons, but it’s the same desire, same objective. So that compels them to really reach a deal,” said Fidan on Tuesday.
However, the minister posited that US ally Israel “does not necessarily see an interest” in seeing a ceasefire deal, citing how Iran officials have had phone conversations with their Türkiye counterparts on Israeli troop movements in Lebanon, which have reached a point which are “not tolerable”.
“What Israel is doing in Lebanon is clearly in violation of our understanding, so we can expect such things from Netanyahu’s government,” he added, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Türkiye has been a fierce critic of Israel's military operations in Gaza as well as in Lebanon and Iran.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has strongly criticised Israeli military actions against Iran, arguing that they risk dragging the entire Middle East into a wider and potentially devastating regional war. Türkiye shares a 560km long land border with Iran.
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that talks with Iran were moving at a "rapid pace", even as Tehran threatened to widen the war by keeping the Strait of Hormuz blocked and activating other pressure points around the region.
On Tuesday, Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported that Tehran was reviewing the proposed agreement with the US but has not yet responded to a proposed final text of the temporary deal, and was taking a "stern" approach given what it sees as a history of US non-compliance and longstanding mistrust.
Weeks of indirect US-Iran talks, threats and air strikes have failed to end the war or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the key shipping channel for Gulf oil and gas.
A drone view shows vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman on Jun 1, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Stringer)
The latest overnight US-Iran exchange of fire coincided with Israel expanding its ground offensive in Lebanon, with Netanyahu vowing to push deeper into the country and instructing his military to strike "terror targets" in Beirut's southern suburbs.
On Tuesday, Fidan was also asked about Türkiye's plans to devise alternative routes to bypass movement of goods through the Strait of Hormuz.
In April, Turkish media reported that Ankara has developed five alternative routes for oil and gas supplies - including land and sea corridors running through Iraq, Syria, the Suez-Red Sea corridor and Oman.
Fidan acknowledged that he was holding discussions “with some countries involved” and cited options going through Syria, as well as a train route between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.
“We have started working on every available prospective project that will enable this connectivity. We've taken huge lessons (from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz),” said Fidan.
HOW TÜRKIYE HOPES TO ENGAGE ASEAN AND SINGAPORE
In his speech, Fidan also described ASEAN as an “indispensable partner” with which Türkiye could work more closely to advance global mobility, expressing hope that its cooperation with the regional bloc would soon be upgraded to a dialogue partnership.
“Our partnership with ASEAN embodies our broader vision for Asia. As a nation with deep roots in Asia, we are bound to this continent by enduring historical links, strategic ties, and a sense of shared purpose,” he said.
Fidan cited Türkiye’s “Asia Anew Initiative” launched in 2019, which he said was designed at giving a “strategic depth to a relationship that already had firm historical foundations”.
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He said Türkiye’s engagement with Asia spans from political dialogue to economic cooperation and technology among others, “grounded in mutual respect” and institutional relations.
This includes permanent mechanisms ranging from high-level strategic cooperation councils to joint economic and trade committees, added Fidan.
“We bring along the institutional reach of a North Atlantic Military Organization (NATO) member, the experience of a nation deeply integrated with European institutions, the depth of enduring ties across the Global South, and a defence industry that has risen to meet the security demands of our age.”
Describing Türkiye as a reliable and “stabilising power in an unpredictable world”, Fidan said Ankara was working towards durable solutions to conflicts across its wider neighbourhood.
“We fully recognise that security is indivisible, that is the spirit in which Türkiye engages with this continent, and this is what we wish to deepen further,” he said.
The minister also highlighted Türkiye’s “strategic partnership" with Singapore, saying that the strategic realities of the two countries share clear parallels.
“Both of our countries sit at two of the world’s most vital strategic crossroads … Both of our countries believe that effective multilateralism and comprehensive international cooperation serve us better than fragmentation,” he said.
Looking ahead, the foreign minister said that there was “considerable scope” to deepen cooperation with Singapore.
Possible areas of partnership include the digital economy, frontier technologies, green transition, defence industry cooperation and a shared effort to uphold an open and rules-based international order, said Fidan.
“Moving forward, Türkiye and Singapore have every reason to work together in shaping what comes next,” he said.
Continue reading...