BERLIN / ANKARA

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday in Berlin that Türkiye and Germany are poised to deepen their cooperation, “which rests on strong foundations,” stressing a renewed political will to advance bilateral ties and revive momentum in Turkish–EU relations.

“There is a very strong will to take Türkiye–Germany relations, as well as Türkiye–EU relations, even further in these uncertain and crisis-driven times. As foreign ministers, we are carrying out the necessary planning and coordination,” he said.

Addressing a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Berlin as part of his visit to the country, Fidan said relations between Türkiye and Germany recently gained “new momentum with a new spirit,” citing as evidence the recent visits to Türkiye by Wadephul and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

He announced that the next meeting of the countries’ Strategic Dialogue Mechanism would be held in the first half of 2026.

- Economic ties

Fidan noted that Germany is Türkiye’s number one export market in Europe and its largest export destination globally, adding that the bilateral trade volume is trending upward from $50 billion toward $60 billion.

He stressed that efforts continue to further increase mutual investments.

“The meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee, expected to be held in the first half of next year, along with the energy and mining forum, will help advance our economic ties.

“In addition to the sectors in which we are already strong, there is a significant potential for cooperation in fields shaping the 21st century such as renewable energy, artificial intelligence, high technology, and digitalization.”

Highlighting the major contributions of the Turkish community in Germany in fields ranging from the economy to science, arts and sports, Fidan said their achievements are “a source of pride for both Türkiye and Germany.”

Fidan added that during his visit he would also meet with businesspeople and representatives of civil society organizations operating in Germany.

- Türkiye–EU relations and EU accession criteria

Fidan said Türkiye–EU relations will also be discussed during his talks with Wadephul and that Türkiye agrees accession must be based on criteria.

“Türkiye has no problem—nor can it have one—regarding criteria-based assessments in its EU accession process. This is the rule of the game.

“If you want to enter a club, that club has rules and you fulfill the necessary requirements. But the main issue is that the accession process is simply not progressing at the moment, with no chapters being opened,” he said.

Türkiye, he added, could quickly fulfill many criteria if it saw a renewed, practical EU accession perspective.

Fidan noted that he and Wadephul had comprehensive discussions on this point.

“Our expectation remains that the EU reopens accession chapters and moves forward with Türkiye on the most normal basis possible.

“We once again underlined how strong President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan’s political will is on Türkiye’s EU process. We believe there are steps that can be taken, and we reviewed them one by one,” he said.

He noted ongoing issues such as updating the Customs Union, visa liberalization dialogue, and the difficulties Turkish citizens face in getting Schengen visas.

“Resolving these difficulties is a priority for us right now. But EU membership continues to be Türkiye’s strategic objective. We will continue to maintain all necessary diplomatic efforts, dialogue, and technical work,” he said.

Fidan added that they had got positive messages from their European counterparts and said European security issues were discussed in detail.

He underlined the importance of including Türkiye in the new Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program and ensuring the country is not excluded, adding that Türkiye has significant capacity in the defense industry.

Pointing to the Turkish Armed Forces’ extensive operational experience in the region, Fidan said this experience should be evaluated in a principled and constructive manner in a way that serves the interests of both sides in terms of European security.

- SAFE mechanism and European security

Mentioning how many NATO members are also EU members, Fidan said that European states largely rely on NATO’s military planning for security.

He noted that NATO has been the main framework for security cooperation, but added: “In recent years, particularly since the start of the Ukraine war, we see the emergence of a new search within the EU regarding European security.”

Fidan said the processes launched with the SAFE mechanism align with the EU’s external security policies. He stressed that Türkiye wants to take part in these new discussions, yet structural problems persist.

“European security concerns all of us. We must think creatively and ensure that until Türkiye’s EU membership is realized, all discussions and relations continue in a creative format, because our relations and shared interests are there.

“Threats are not disappearing, and opportunities aren’t going anywhere. We should not miss historical opportunities or face historical threats due to protocol problems,” he said.

“Türkiye is not seeking cooperation under SAFE just to serve as a market for defense products. Our efforts within NATO and our security-focused dialogue with the EU reflect our aim to meet our own strategic security needs in cooperation with the EU.

“Türkiye is increasingly asserting its will in both security-related mechanisms and EU mechanisms. We hope to continue with more creative solutions,” he said.

- Common interests

Fidan said the two also discussed regional and global issues and that the two countries share similar views on most of them.

“Stability in the Balkans is important for both Germany and Türkiye. Ending the war in Ukraine is important for us. Implementing the peace plan in Gaza, stability in Syria, stability and peace in the Caucasus, and our cooperation in Africa—all are important for us. Given how many overlapping areas of cooperation we have, we need to intensify the work we put into practice,” he said.

Fidan said the two sides exchanged detailed views on Ukraine.

“A peace that is acceptable to both parties has become necessary both from a humanitarian and strategic standpoint. We will continue our constructive efforts. I shared with Johann the work Türkiye has carried out in recent days,” he added.

- Peace in Gaza, stability in Syria

On Gaza, Fidan stressed the importance of implementing a peace plan.

“We must not go back to destruction, genocide, and massacre. There has already been more than enough devastation. We all need to work intensively so wounds can be healed as soon as possible.

“Humanitarian aid must enter immediately. The stabilization force, the peace corps—these issues must now become concrete. We share the same view. Peace must be advanced as soon as possible; otherwise, there is a risk of returning to a spiral of violence,” he said.

He also said Syria’s stability would greatly contribute to regional and global stability.

“It is important for Syria to heal its wounds again, accelerate its economic recovery and take its place in the fight against Daesh,” he said, adding that Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty must be preserved and associated threats eliminated.

- Russia-Ukraine war

On efforts for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Fidan told how Türkiye hosted three rounds of Istanbul negotiations and that direct talks between the parties produced tangible results on many issues.

He described the recent Geneva talks as a new perspective and said that preliminary plans and a framework already existed, which Türkiye welcomed.

Fidan stressed that the negotiation platform must not be lost, “no matter how difficult the circumstances.”

“We must continue on this path as supporters. Türkiye is ready to host Istanbul negotiations again. We support direct talks between the parties.

“One must not avoid the negotiating table. As our president has repeatedly said, ‘There is no winner in war and no loser in peace’.”