Turkish, Italian foreign ministers discuss strengthening bilateral ties

ISTANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Rome on Thursday.

The talks focused on strengthening ties between Türkiye and Italy, both NATO allies and strategic partners, Fidan said at a press conference following his meeting.

Fidan said Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar's acquisition of Piaggio Aerospace and partnership with Leonardo set an important precedent for the region.

He also emphasized the importance of Libyan stability, saying the country's unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty, stability, and security must be maintained indefinitely. He said Türkiye and Italy would continue their joint efforts to achieve this goal.

Regarding Israel, Fidan underlined that the European Union and the United Nations must take stronger measures to stop Israel. He added that Qatar, a country known for its peaceful foreign policy and effective mediation efforts, is now also targeted by Israel’s expansionist agenda.

He further emphasized that Israel’s expansionist policy reaching Qatar should serve as a wake-up call for those who have long turned a blind eye to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Tajani, for his part, said that he has great confidence in Türkiye’s role in promoting peace and stability and believes the two countries can take significant steps together.

He also noted that Ankara could play an important role in facilitating dialogue on the Russia-Ukraine war while expressing concern over Israel’s repeated violations of international and humanitarian law.

As part of his two-day visit, Fidan is also scheduled to address the Istituto Affari Internazionali think tank in Rome.

The two ministers previously met in May during the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting held in Antalya, Türkiye.

Bilateral trade between Türkiye and Italy hit $32.2 billion in 2024, with Italy ranking as Türkiye’s fifth-largest export market worldwide and second in the EU. At the Rome summit, the two sides set a new goal of $40 billion.