Mikail Büyüklü
11 May 2026 • Last updated: 11 May 2026
AA / Istanbul / Mikail Biyikli
The President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, emphasized that recent developments in the region once again highlighted the geopolitical importance of the relationship between Turkey and the European Union (EU).
The Turkish President met with Queen Mathilde of Belgium on Monday at the Vahdettin Palace in Istanbul.
During the meeting, Erdogan advocated for strengthening the relationship between his country and the EU, emphasizing the regional geopolitical context.
Among the areas requiring rapid progress in the period leading up to full membership, he specifically mentioned updating the customs union under new conditions.
The Turkish Presidential Communications Directorate shared a statement regarding President Erdogan’s meeting with Queen Mathilde of Belgium.
The statement indicated that during the meeting, bilateral relations between Turkey and Belgium, as well as regional and global issues, were discussed.
President Erdogan reassured that Turkey and Belgium have potential for cooperation in many areas, from trade relations to defense industry, energy to agriculture, and they will continue to take steps to develop these relationships.
According to the statement, the Turkish President emphasized that the latest developments in the region once again underscored the geopolitical importance of Turkey-EU relations, that updating the customs union under new conditions is among the areas requiring rapid progress before full membership, and that Turkey’s participation in EU defense initiatives is also a common imperative.
President Erdogan, highlighting Turkey’s prominent diplomatic initiatives on the international stage, mentioned that this year it will host the NATO Summit in Ankara on July 7 and 8, and COP31 from November 9 to 20, specifying that one important area of cooperation with Belgium is transitioning to green energy, and noting that Turkey’s installed capacity of renewable energy occupies a prominent position in Europe.
The Turkish President also expressed hope that contacts with the Turkish business community will yield concrete results.
* Translated from Turkish by Tuncay Şakmak
