EU Urges Sides to 'Seize Moment' for Peace as PKK Says Disbanding

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The EU called on "all parties to seize the moment" to work towards peace after the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced it was ending its decades-long armed struggle against the Turkish state.

"The European Union considers that launching a credible peace process, aiming for a political solution to the Kurdish issue, would be a positive step to achieve a peaceful and sustainable solution," EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni told reporters on Monday, 12 May 2025.

Earlier in the day, the PKK officially announced the outcome of its 12th congress, confirming a historic decision to end its decades-long armed struggle and pursue its objectives through peaceful political means. This development marks a turning point in the organisation’s strategy and aligns with the peace initiative advocated by its imprisoned founder and ideological leader, Abdullah Öcalan.

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday that the PKK's decision to disband and end its armed struggle against the Turkish state is of “historic importance” for permanent peace in the region.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Syrian and Jordanian counterparts, Fidan said there would be practical steps to be taken for the disbandment of the PKK and Türkiye would follow the process closely. 

Kurdish officials hailed the move describing it an opportunity to resume the brotherhood between Kurds and Turks.

Saadi Ahmed Pire, spokesperson for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), has described the disarmament of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) as a major achievement, paving the way for renewed cooperation and brotherhood between Kurdish and Turkish communities. He reiterated the PUK’s longstanding position that political disputes cannot be resolved through armed conflict, emphasising the party’s consistent opposition to war as a solution.

Speaking to Channel 8, Pire stated: “The disarmament and dissolution of the PKK represent a significant milestone for both Kurds and Turks, enabling the Kurdish-Turkish brotherhood to resume as before.”

He further highlighted that PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani has repeatedly advocated for peaceful solutions and dialogue. Pire recalled efforts in the early 1990s by the late Mam Jalal to foster engagement between then-Turkish President Turgut Özal and the PKK, noting: “After 33 years, the parties have now come to embrace Mam Jalal’s vision of choosing peace to address longstanding issues.”

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani described the PKK’s decision to dissolve itself and lay down arms as a “pivotal step” that could advance “coexistence and stability” in Turkey and across the broader region.



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