OPINION - Italy and Türkiye: A growing partnership for regional stability

• The Italian-Turkish projection indeed pivots on enforcing bilateral cooperation through close agreements that are functional to the effective protection of both national and joint interests

The author is an Italian expert on political science and international relations. She is the scientific director of the Observatory in Türkiye by Rome-based think tank CeSPI.

ISTANBUL

In a time of global uncertainty, in which the challenges are many and the degree of unpredictability is high, Italy and Türkiye prove their ability to capitalize on opportunities through maximizing their cooperative potential, hence reducing the risky factors. In this regard, the Rome-Ankara axis continues to strengthen, driven by mutual pragmatism and a shared strategic vision.

Italy and Türkiye: a new bilateral era

Bilaterally, Italy and Türkiye have entered a new era in which the already positive economic data and business complementarities play a key role. Recently, trade volume has reached $32 billion, surpassing the previously set target of $30 billion. In the last three years, in fact, the bilateral commercial relations have grown by a third and the industrial contacts have intensified, sealing important partnerships. The most recent acquisition of Piaggio Aerospace by Baykar, the Turkish leading company in the production of unmanned drones, is a concrete example of how industrial plans may add strategic value to bilateral relations by elevating them to a new level. In this regard, the continuous dialogue between Baykar and the Italian defense company Leonardo along with renewed interest in integrating Italian and Turkish defense systems, underscores the significance of this partnership. Recent diplomatic engagements in Türkiye further highlight the depth of Italian-Turkish ties, emphasizing a commitment to strengthening cooperation across multiple sectors.

Building regional and international bridges

The two countries are to be considered as natural partners in the construction of synergies at a bilateral level, but above all as regional and international bridge-builders. Italy and Türkiye belong to the Euro-Mediterranean basin and are fully integrated into it. In this same area, they are united by the same challenges while the mutual understanding and historical connections contribute to their privileged interactions by placing them in the condition of managing common crises and opportunities. In this, the membership to common international organizations is certainly a facilitator factor: as NATO members, Italy and Türkiye are aware of the global threats and of the need to address them effectively according to a shared set of values and vision.

The anchoring to the European framework also plays a fundamental role as well. Economically, the two nations are perfectly integrated, with Türkiye ranking as the EU’s fifth-largest trading partner, exporting goods worth €111 billion. The EU-Türkiye Customs Union has indeed enabled bilateral trade to increase significantly, reaching a record high of almost €206 billion. On the other hand, the EU stands as Türkiye’s largest goods import and export partner by a significant margin: in 2024, Türkiye’s exports to the EU increased by 4.2% to $108.7 billion. Thus, a stronger industrial partnership with Italy would further boost Turkish economic integration in Europe. But not only that. Along with Baykar's most recent moves, the Turkish manufacture, including in the defense sector, would further penetrate the European market and business environment, marking an asset for the EU member states and for the entire bloc.

The Rome-Ankara axis

Beyond bilateral cooperation, Italian-Turkish partnerships contribute to broader regional integration. In this regard, Africa is a scenario in which the margins of cooperation are wide and more effectively exploitable in the spirit of joint ventures. The African continent, in fact, is of crucial importance for Italy which, in line with the so-called "Mattei Plan for Africa", is investing heavily in sustainable development projects on an equal basis, also with the ultimate goal of containing the migratory phenomenon. On this, there is a substantial commonality of views with Türkiye, who, by boasting a notable historical presence, in Africa is currently the main stakeholder and stabilizing actor.

Similarly, in the Black Sea and the Middle East, Türkiye’s mediation efforts align with Italy’s priorities for regional stability. Türkiye’s leading role in ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, its diplomatic engagement in the Russia-Ukraine war, and its commitment to Syria’s political transition and reconstruction, as well as the objective of preserving stability and territorial integrity are all areas where Italian and Turkish interests converge. As a corollary to this mutual understanding and shared goals, the leader-to-leader diplomacy between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also counts. While the Italian PM is progressively strengthening her position within the EU and in the eyes of Trump's America, President Erdoğan is the indisputable interlocutor of the so-called “Global-South”. Hence, the regional global integration becomes the strategic connecting line between the two. The Italian-Turkish projection indeed pivots on enforcing bilateral cooperation through close agreements that are functional to the effective protection of both national and joint interests. Therefore, the Roma-Ankara axis leverages on the integration of regional systems which passes inevitably through the enforcement of the existing synergies.

*Opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Anadolu's editorial policy.