German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has praised Türkiye’s strategic importance in global and regional security, pledging closer cooperation with Ankara after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.
"I appreciate Türkiye’s role. It is a key strategic ally for us in foreign and security policy," Merz told reporters on Wednesday after the meeting, highlighting Ankara’s contribution to regional peace efforts and NATO’s security goals.
Merz said Germany has a strong interest in working closely with Türkiye due to its geostrategic position and role within NATO.
"I’ve just reiterated to President Erdogan during our conversation that, given Türkiye’s geostrategic location alone, we have a strong interest in working closely with our NATO partner and that is exactly what we are doing," he said.
Berlin backs closer Ankara ties
The German leader praised Türkiye’s role in helping promote stability in a volatile region, saying Ankara had made "an enormous contribution" to regional efforts.
"We recognise that the successes achieved in Syria would most likely not have been possible without the contribution of the Turkish president," Merz said.
He also said he asked Erdogan to use his influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin to support efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Defence, trade and NATO cooperation
According to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, Erdogan and Merz discussed bilateral relations, NATO-Europe cooperation and regional developments during their closed-door talks.
Erdogan said expanding cooperation between Türkiye and Germany, particularly in the defence industry and trade, would benefit both countries.
The Turkish president also stressed the importance of maintaining the transatlantic bond while strengthening NATO’s European pillar, saying Türkiye could support European Union defence initiatives as long as they complement NATO structures.
On regional issues, Erdogan said all parties should avoid steps that could undermine the understanding reached between Iran and the United States, adding that Türkiye would continue efforts to promote lasting peace.
Merz said he would host Erdogan in Berlin for the next round of German-Turkish intergovernmental consultations, while Erdogan invited the chancellor to visit Türkiye in November.
The Ankara NATO summit, the second hosted by Türkiye after the 2004 Istanbul gathering, brought together alliance leaders and partners to discuss defence spending, military modernisation, Europe’s security capacity and support for Ukraine.
