4 days Ago
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Rome on Tuesday for talks with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, as the two Mediterranean countries seek to boost trade and cooperation. Erdoğan and Meloni will discuss bilateral relations , the war in Ukraine and the "situation in the Middle East" before a summit where government ministers are expected to sign a number of deals, including on energy and defence, according to an Italian government source. "The aim is to strengthen the cooperation and strategic partnership between the two nations" and foster "economic and trade relations, which have grown significantly in recent years," the source said.
The summit comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pushed the European Union, of which Italy is part, to seek deeper security ties with Türkiye, a NATO ally and long a candidate to join the 27-nation bloc. With arms industry orders soaring in response to the conflict, in March, Italian defense firm Leonardo and Turkish drone magnate Baykar agreed to jointly develop unmanned aerial systems. Migration is also high on the agenda, the source said.
Ankara has in recent years played a leading role in helping stem irregular arrivals to Europe. The delegations will also work to enhance cooperation in transport, infrastructure, space, and sport, with Italy and Türkiye due to jointly host the Euro 2032 football tournament, the source said. Italy is Türkiye's second-largest commercial partner in Europe.
Bilateral trade was worth $32.2 billion in 2024, according to Rome..
