Turkish top diplomat to attend NATO meeting, discuss Ukraine war

ANKARA

Türkiye’s top diplomat, Hakan Fidan, will attend a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Dec. 3 amid intensified efforts to end the Russian occupation of Ukraine through negotiation.

According to the sources from the Foreign Ministry, Fidan will travel to Belgium to attend the alliance’s meeting.

He is expected to hold bilateral meetings with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, British Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares and other participant diplomats.

The NATO meeting will feature two main sessions: One focused on the alliance’s agenda and recent Euro-Atlantic security developments, and the other dedicated to the war in Ukraine, which Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha will also attend.

During the first session, Fidan will highlight Türkiye’s significant contributions to the alliance, made possible by its strong military capabilities and rapidly growing defense industry. He will stress the importance of avoiding duplication in European security efforts and emphasize that any initiatives the EU considers must complement NATO’s defense and security policies and posture.

Fidan will also repeat that non-EU NATO countries should not be excluded from the EU’s defense industry mechanisms and stress that all restrictions regarding arms sales between the allies should be lifted.

NATO foreign ministers will review the latest regarding diplomatic engagements to end the Russian occupation of Ukraine at the second session of the meeting.

During this session, Fidan is expected to repeat Türkiye’s support to Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity while stressing the importance of a fair and permanent peace between the two warring sides.

Turkish top diplomat will also express Ankara's readiness to contribute to the peace efforts.

Türkiye has long been in contact with both Russia and Ukraine to end the war through a negotiated settlement and hosted three rounds of direct talks this summer in Istanbul.