Dutch foreign minister to visit Türkiye for 1st official trip

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen will undertake a working visit to Türkiye on Thursday, marking his first visit to the country since assuming office, according to diplomatic sources.

During the visit, Berendsen is scheduled to meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the sources said.

Discussions are expected to emphasize enhancing the multifaceted relations between the two NATO allies and increasing high-level visits.

Fidan is expected to stress the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation through mechanisms such as the “Türkiye-Netherlands Conference” (Wittenburg Conference), with the 11th meeting planned in Türkiye anticipated to provide momentum to the relationship.

The ministers will also focus on economic ties, highlighting the shared goal of raising bilateral trade volume to $20 billion and the need for continued collaboration to achieve this target.

Fidan is expected to underline the importance of a strategic approach to Türkiye-EU relations, including progress on updating the Customs Union and establishing visa liberalization, as well as aligning European security initiatives under NATO, which should be implemented in coordination with all allies under the NATO umbrella.

Other anticipated points of discussion include the peace and prosperity of the Turkish community in the Netherlands and regional security issues. Fidan is expected to share Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflicts triggered by Israeli and US attacks on Iran, noting that these efforts are aimed at ending the conflicts as soon as possible, and highlighting the threat posed by Iran targeting third countries.

He will also emphasize that Israel’s unlawful policies in the occupied Palestinian territories, increased attacks on Lebanon, and provocations targeting holy sites in East Jerusalem, particularly Al-Aqsa Mosque, are unacceptable and threaten regional stability.

Fidan is also expected to reaffirm Türkiye’s commitment to supporting diplomatic processes aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war and stress the importance of staying out of regional conflicts during Syria’s reconstruction.

- Bilateral relations and trade

Türkiye and the Netherlands maintain multidimensional political, economic, military, and humanitarian ties, sustained through ongoing dialogue amid current regional and global challenges, the sources said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last met with then-Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on June 25, 2025, during the NATO Summit.

Minister Fidan previously visited the Netherlands on April 19, 2024, to participate in the 10th Wittenburg Conference, a platform established in 2008 for bilateral cooperation, chaired by the respective foreign ministers.

Bilateral trade reached $13.3 billion in 2025, with exports totaling $8.1 billion and imports $5.2 billion.

The Netherlands is Türkiye’s leading source of foreign direct investment, which reached $33 billion in 2025, while Turkish investments in the Netherlands exceeded $21 billion. The latest Türkiye-Netherlands Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting was held in Istanbul on Jan. 15, 2025, to further develop economic cooperation and diversify areas of collaboration.

The Netherlands is home to approximately 500,000 people of Turkish origin, whose peace and prosperity continue to be a priority for Türkiye and whose presence strengthens the bilateral relationship, serving as a bridge between the two countries, the sources concluded.