ISTANBUL
A planned update to the free trade agreement between the UK and Türkiye would serve as "a great example" for modern trade deals, the British consul general in Istanbul told Anadolu.
The first round of negotiations on the updated agreement concluded positively, covering areas such as goods trade and sustainability, said Kenan Poleo, who also serves as the UK’s trade commissioner for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
“The most exciting thing about this new free trade agreement is (that it is) an opportunity for the UK and Türkiye to set a great example for the whole world around what a modern free trade agreement between two important partners looks like,” Poleo said in a recent interview.
The next round of negotiations is expected later this year and will focus on developing a roadmap for expanded cooperation, particularly in services and innovation-driven sectors.
Trade between the two countries currently exceeds £27 billion (approximately $36 billion), making Türkiye one of the UK’s largest trading partners.
“Given the depth of our relationship, really, the sky's the limit,” he added.
Describing trade relations between the two countries as “huge,” Poleo said Türkiye is now one of the UK’s largest trading partners, with the relationship having grown significantly in recent years.
“There isn’t a sector where we don’t see positive opportunities,” he said, citing clean energy, advanced manufacturing and mobility as key areas for collaboration.
The UK seeks to expand its global trade network post-Brexit, while Türkiye aims to diversify its economic partnerships amid shifting regional dynamics and supply chain realignments.
- Eurofighter deal offers key defense and economic gains for both countries
One of the most recent milestones in bilateral cooperation was the signing of a memorandum of understanding during last month’s International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul.
The deal paves the way for Türkiye to become a Eurofighter Typhoon operator, a move Poleo described as a “great example” of UK-Türkiye collaboration as “strategic and defense partner.”
“A third of those aircraft are going to be built within the UK,” he said. “It provides huge opportunities for both countries in terms of defense and security, but also economic growth.”
The Eurofighter is a multirole aircraft equipped with next-generation radar and enhanced air-to-air and air-to-ground combat capabilities.
- Cooperation in offshore wind and nuclear power
He also pointed to growing opportunities in offshore wind and next-generation nuclear power.
“We have institutions like the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult in the north of England, very close to where capabilities are,” he said.
“We've developed innovation capability and capacity that have allowed Turkish companies, who are looking to explore those opportunities globally and also in Türkiye, to come and become part of that ecosystem,” he explained.
The British envoy said the UK and Türkiye can achieve “world-beating” results by working together in offshore wind.
“There's an opportunity for Türkiye to leapfrog and a lot of learning, and really develop some capabilities here that could be world-beating working partnership with those Turkish and UK companies,” he said. “I'm excited about that opportunity.”
Poleo also said there are opportunities for the two nations to collaborate on developing a regulatory framework that would allow Türkiye to explore more novel and innovative forms of nuclear power.
“There's an opportunity for us to collaborate and learn from each other on our experiences," he said.
As Türkiye aims to install 5 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2035 and advances its first nuclear power plant in Akkuyu, in the southern province of Mersin, while also targeting 5 gigawatts of small modular reactor capacity by 2050, the UK sees an opportunity to support these ambitions with its global leadership in offshore wind and decades of nuclear expertise.
- Poleo prepares to bid farewell to dream post in Istanbul
Poleo, who assumed his post in September 2021, is set to complete his tenure in early 2026.
Born in South London to a Turkish Cypriot family, he described his time in Türkiye as both a personal and professional high point.
“This was always my dream job,” said Poleo. “It is both a joy to have served here, but it's also a tragedy for me that it has to come to an end.”
Reflecting on joint achievements, Poleo highlighted the growing strength of the UK-Türkiye business relationship, citing partnerships that span sectors from health tech to aviation.
Switching briefly in Turkish during his farewell speech, Poleo expressed satisfaction at improving his language skills, adding with a smile: “Ailemle dedikodulari anlayabiliyorum” (I can now understand the gossip in my family).
Calling Istanbul one of Europe’s greatest cities, Poleo said in Turkish: “Each morning, I wake up to a view of the Golden Horn. That’s a lovely detail for me. Some days, being a British diplomat in this country feels like a dream.”
Poleo first visited Istanbul at 21 as a student, recalling how he once stood outside the British Consulate building and imagined working there someday. “Incredible. I’m a very lucky man,” he said.
