The provincial association of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Antep held its annual congress with thousands of members on Sunday. Ayten Kaya and Avni Bilici were elected as the new co-chairpersons. HDP Co-chair Pervin Buldan and MP Berdan Öztürk, who is also co-chair of the civil society association "Democratic Society Congress" (DTK), gave political assessments of the war in Ukraine at the meeting.

Öztürk said in his speech: "The third world war is expanding. We know the background. Currently, it is about an open power struggle between Russia and NATO." The Kurdish politician referred to the wars led by Turkey in northern Syria and northern Iraq and explained that the government was now suddenly generating itself as a "dove of peace": "The war between Ukraine and Russia is deliberate. The Turkish state first occupies Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî and then talks about peace. No one can believe this. The people will give the necessary answer. The Kurds want to live a free life on their own soil. The way to peace, freedom and democracy is through Imrali. We keep saying that. Talks must be held with Abdullah Öcalan. NATO will not offer you any solution. With US and NATO support, Turkey is bombing Rojava, Maxmur and Shengal, and occupying South Kurdistan."

Speaking after, HDP Co-chair Pervin Buldan first addressed the banning of her party in her speech, saying: "We were expected to be intimidated by the repression. This did not happen, we will never deviate from our political struggle. One day there will be peace in this country. The place where the HDP's struggle begins is also the place where the AKP's politics end."

Commenting on the war in Ukraine, Pervin Buldan said: "We stand for peace in Ukraine, Syria and Turkey. There is no other alternative. Every war in this world is a problem of all humanity. As HDP, we say once again that problems can only be solved through negotiations and dialogue. The government claims to be against the war in Ukraine regardless of what is happening in its own country and in neighbouring countries. I would like to emphasise here that the government's calls for peace do not make the slightest sense as long as the hostility against the Kurdish people and women continues. It should mind its own business first to prove the credibility of its calls for peace."