Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has emphasised that ongoing geopolitical shifts have once again demonstrated the strategic importance of strengthening relations between Türkiye and the European Union. Speaking during a meeting with Belgium’s Queen Mathilde in Istanbul, Erdoğan stressed that modernising the existing Customs Union to reflect current conditions is “a key area necessitating swift progress” on Türkiye’s path to full EU membership.
Defence cooperation and bilateral potential
According to a statement from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, Erdoğan also underlined that Türkiye’s participation in EU defence initiatives would serve the mutual interests of all sides. The president noted significant potential for Turkish-Belgian cooperation across trade, defence industry, energy, and agriculture, pledging continued efforts to further strengthen bilateral ties. He expressed hope that Queen Mathilde’s engagements with Turkish business circles would yield concrete results.
Global hosting role and green energy
Erdoğan highlighted Türkiye’s increasingly prominent diplomatic role, noting that Ankara will host the NATO leaders’ summit on July 7-8 and the COP31 climate conference on November 9-20 this year. He also pointed to green energy transition as a key area of cooperation with Belgium, emphasising that Türkiye ranks among Europe’s leading countries in installed renewable energy capacity. The meeting reflects Ankara’s continued commitment to deepening ties with European partners while advancing its long-standing EU membership goal.