In brief
During a UN headquarters briefing, Turkey’s Feridun Sinirlioglu announced his commitment to backing genuine diplomatic efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine war. Nominated by Turkey in late October, Sinirlioglu faces seven other candidates for the position, and the election will occur before the current term ends on December 31. The outcome remains uncertain, with no definitive indication of who will be selected.
At the United Nations headquarters on 7 November, Turkey’s former Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu addressed UN officials and pledged that, if elected Secretary‑General, he would work to support every genuine effort toward a negotiated and just settlement to the conflict in Ukraine.
Sinirlioglu said that the UN’s responsibility is to create the conditions for peace and that the Secretary‑General’s good offices should remain available to all parties, aiming to keep communication channels open and to build confidence step by step. He emphasized that “the UN's role is a platform for dialogue” and that he would seek to strengthen that role.
"I would work to strengthen the UN's role as a platform for dialog. My aim would be to support every genuine effort toward a negotiated and just settlement to end the war in Ukraine," Sinirlioglu stated during the briefing.
He noted that, as Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co‑operation in Europe, he deals with the situation in Ukraine daily and considers it one of the most serious challenges facing the international community today.
Turkey proposed Sinirlioglu for the post in late October, ahead of the conclusion of the current Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres’ term on 31 December. The nomination comes amid a field that includes seven other candidates: Rafael Grossi of Argentina, former UN Trade and Development Conference Secretary‑General Rebeca Grynspan from Costa Rica, former Ecuadorian Foreign and Defense Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN Carolyn Rodrigues‑Birkett, former Ecuadorian ambassadors Ivonne Baki and Olara Otunnu, and United Arab Emirates State Minister Lana Zaki Nusseibeh.
Sinirlioglu’s stated focus is on keeping open lines of communication and fostering dialogue, underscoring the UN’s potential as a neutral forum for peace efforts.
The upcoming election will determine whether his pledged support for Ukraine’s negotiated resolution accompanies his candidacy, or whether one of the other seven contenders will assume the high‑profile role.
Uncertainties highlighted by the sources include the ultimate decision of the General Assembly on the Secretary‑General and which candidate—among Sinirlioglu and his competitors—will ultimately be elected. The timeline for the final selection and the specific policies each candidate will advance remain unspecified.
