Fidan to visit Germany for strategic dialogue talks

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Germany on May 18 to attend the third meeting of the Türkiye-Germany Strategic Dialogue Mechanism, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said.

The meeting in Berlin will be co-chaired by Fidan and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

Working groups on bilateral relations, Türkiye-European Union ties, security and defense, and regional issues will convene as part of the mechanism and present their reports to the ministers.

Fidan is expected to express satisfaction with the constructive atmosphere in bilateral relations and the recent increase in high-level contacts between Ankara and Berlin, the sources said.

He will underline that the Strategic Dialogue Mechanism offers a useful platform to assess the strategic dimension of ties and strengthen coordination between the two foreign ministries.

The Turkish community in Germany will also be among the issues discussed, with Fidan expected to stress the importance Ankara attaches to the peace, security and prosperity of the diaspora.

Economic ties will be another key item on the agenda. Germany is Türkiye’s second-largest trade partner, with bilateral trade volume at $52.2 billion, according to Foreign Ministry sources.

Fidan is expected to discuss ways to increase mutual investments and deepen cooperation in connectivity, high technology, digitalization and green energy.

The upcoming Energy Forum and Joint Economic and Trade Committee meetings are expected to contribute to the goal of raising bilateral trade volume to $60 billion.

On Türkiye-EU relations, Fidan is expected to underline the need for a comprehensive and institutionalized approach, including the modernization of the Customs Union and the revitalization of the Visa Liberalization Dialogue.

He is also expected to say that any European security strategy that ignores Türkiye’s strategic weight, capabilities and geopolitical position would remain incomplete.

Regional issues, including the Strait of Hormuz, the Iran-U.S. conflict, Ukraine and Gaza, are also expected to be discussed during the talks.

The Strategic Dialogue Mechanism was established in Berlin in 2013 to provide an institutional framework for bilateral ties and support Türkiye’s EU accession process. Its first meeting was held in Berlin in 2013, while the second took place in Istanbul in 2014.