Jakarta. A viral video on social media suggested that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan walked out of the D-8 Summit in Egypt while Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was giving a speech supporting Palestine on Thursday. The video sparked speculation that Erdogan left in the middle of Prabowo’s remarks.

In response to these rumors, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya clarified that there was no "walkout" by President Erdogan. Teddy, who was present at the D-8 Summit, explained that the event had run behind schedule, forcing Erdogan to leave the room for another engagement.

“There was no walkout. This happened during the second session of the D-8 Summit, which focused on Gaza and Lebanon. President Prabowo was supposed to be the first speaker. However, the first session ran two hours late, and as a result, the next session was delayed,” Teddy said during a press briefing at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

Before the second session began, Teddy explained, President Erdogan had lunch with President Prabowo and they sat side by side. During this time, Erdogan requested to swap speaking slots with Prabowo, as he needed to leave the forum early.

“President Erdogan spoke first in the second session and apologized for needing to leave the plenary session early. After delivering his statement, he excused himself, and President Prabowo continued with his speech,” Teddy added.

Teddy reiterated that the relationship between Erdogan and Prabowo remains strong and positive.

This clarification comes amid growing concerns that the viral video may harm diplomatic relations between the two leaders, especially considering the sensitive topics discussed during the summit, including the situation in Gaza.

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