Erdogan orders resumption of talks on reopening Halki Theological School after US pressure
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has instructed the Higher Education Council to resume negotiations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate over the reopening of the Halki Theological School, a move that follows US pressure ahead of next month's NATO summit in Ankara.
Erdogan's directive
On 21 June 2026, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered the country's Higher Education Council to restart talks with a committee of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on reopening the Halki Theological School. The seminary, founded in 1844 on the island of Halki near Istanbul, served as the main educational institution of the Patriarchate for over a century but has been closed for decades. No timeline for its reopening has been set.
Trump's involvement
The issue was raised by US President Donald Trump during his talks with Erdogan in Washington last year. Trump is expected to visit Ankara next month for the NATO summit, and the timing of Erdogan's directive is seen as a response to that diplomatic pressure. The White House has not yet commented on the development.
Patriarchate reaction
Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, a close associate of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, said the matter has entered a "new phase" after Erdogan's instruction. He expressed cautious optimism.
For the Patriarchate, after decades of inactivity, the water has entered the furrow.
The metropolitan stressed that the order marks the start of a formal institutional process, though substantial work remains.
Next steps
Both sides must now complete renovation and restoration work on the school complex and agree on a legal and educational framework under which the seminary would operate. The Turkish Higher Education Council and the Patriarchate's committee are expected to begin detailed discussions in the coming weeks.
