Turkish FM to discuss Gaza, Ukraine during Germany visit

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan plans to discuss Ukraine and the situation in Gaza during his visit to Germany on November 28, diplomatic sources in the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced.

According to the sources, Fidan will travel to Germany at the invitation of German Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul, Caliber.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

During the talks, he intends to underline that Türkiye will continue its efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict through the establishment of a just and lasting peace acceptable to all sides, and will reaffirm Ankara’s readiness to support recent initiatives toward this goal.

Turning to the Middle East, Fidan will stress that “Israel must not be allowed to undermine the ceasefire achieved in Gaza,” and will emphasise the need to secure “a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid, the launch of reconstruction efforts, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.”

The source added that the Turkish foreign minister will draw attention to ensuring that recent steps — including the establishment of a “Peace Board” and an “International Stabilization Force” — align with the perspective of a two-state solution.

The trip will mark Fidan’s first bilateral visit to Germany, the sources said. Fidan last visited the country on February 14–17 to attend the 61st Munich Security Conference, while his German counterpart was most recently hosted in Ankara on October 17.

Germany remains Türkiye’s strongest trade partner in Europe and its largest export market worldwide, with bilateral trade reaching $47.5 billion in 2024 (exports: $20.4 billion; imports: $27.08 billion).

The two countries maintain the goal of raising trade volume to $60 billion in the short term.

Germany’s direct investments in Türkiye amounted to $771 million in 2024, making it the second-largest foreign investor with a 12% share. Between 2005–2024, German direct investments in Türkiye reached $13 billion, while Turkish investments in Germany exceeded $4 billion.

The most recent meeting of the Türkiye–Germany Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO/ETOK) was held in Berlin on September 27, 2024, with the next session planned for Türkiye in the first half of 2026.

By Jeyhun Aghazada