German foreign minister due in Türkiye Friday for high-level talks

ISTANBUL

German Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul on Friday will pay an official visit to Türkiye for high-level talks, according to diplomatic sources.

During meetings in the capital Ankara with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the two are expected to discuss bilateral, regional, and global issues, with particular emphasis on strengthening cooperation and maintaining high-level dialogue mechanisms between Türkiye and Germany.

According to diplomatic sources, Fidan is expected to highlight the importance of ensuring the continuity of high-level consultations and dialogue mechanisms between Türkiye and Germany, while expressing satisfaction with the progress made in bilateral economic and trade ties.

He is also expected to underscore that the upcoming Türkiye-Germany Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting and the planned Energy and Mining Forum will further boost economic and commercial ties and reaffirm Türkiye’s determination to advance energy cooperation with Germany within a strategic framework.

Fidan will share Türkiye’s views on issues of concern to both Türkiye and the European Union, emphasizing Ankara’s position that European security strategies should be developed in coordination under NATO’s umbrella.

The talks will also address joint defense industry initiatives and potential cooperation opportunities under the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) mechanism.

The Turkish foreign minister is also expected to stress the importance Türkiye attaches to the peace and welfare of the Turkish community in Germany, while conveying Ankara’s positions on key regional and global challenges, including developments in the Middle East, Ukraine, and Syria.

On the situation in Gaza, Fidan will note that Türkiye is closely following all phases of the new ceasefire agreement and expects its full implementation, stressing that the positive momentum created by the truce should help reach a just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian question.

He will also underline the need for the rapid and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

- Bilateral relations

Türkiye and Germany maintain multifaceted relations with political, economic, military, and humanitarian dimensions, the sources noted.

The two countries’ coordination and cooperation on issues concerning European security, as well as other regional and global developments, have gained significance in recent years.

Marking the 100th anniversary of the Türkiye-Germany Friendship Treaty in 2024, bilateral ties saw renewed momentum with a series of reciprocal high-level visits.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Türkiye last April and this February, while then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz paid an official visit last October. Fidan last visited Germany this February, during the Munich Security Conference.

Soon after his appointment this May 6, Wadephul made his first visit to Türkiye on May 15 to attend an informal NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in the Mediterranean city of Antalya.

After Wadephul’s visit this week, current Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also expected to visit Türkiye in the near future for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

- Economic ties

Germany remains one of Türkiye’s largest trading partners.

The countries’ bilateral trade volume reached $47.5 billion in 2024, with $20.4 billion in exports to Germany and $27.08 billion in imports to Türkiye. The two countries aim to increase the bilateral volume to $60 billion in the short term.

Germany’s direct investments in Türkiye in 2024 totaled $771 million, accounting for 12% of total foreign direct investment, making Germany the second-largest investor that year. Over the last two decades (2005–2024), German investments in Türkiye have totaled $13 billion, while Turkish investments in Germany have exceeded $4 billion.

The most recent Türkiye-Germany Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting was held in Berlin last September, and the last bilateral Energy Forum took place in Berlin last November.

With a community of more than 3 million people of Turkish descent living in Germany, the deep social and cultural bonds between the two nations continue to strengthen their bilateral relationship.