Turkish foreign minister meets Romanian, Polish counterparts in Poland

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday met his Romanian and Polish counterparts in Warsaw.

At a trilateral meeting of the three countries’ foreign ministers, Fidan met with Poland’s Radoslaw Sikorski and Romania’s Luminita Odobescu, said the Turkish Foreign Ministry on X.

No further information on the meeting was provided.

The meeting is expected to discuss preparations for a NATO heads of state and government summit in Washington this July 9-11, Turkish diplomatic sources said on Tuesday.

It will address current security challenges in NATO's vicinity and discuss steps that can be taken to further enhance relations among the three countries.

The meeting is also expected to address the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza.

Fidan is expected to highlight Ankara’s priority expectations from next month’s NATO summit in Washington in the context of the spirit of alliance.

Fidan is expected to underline the need for the complete removal of defense industry sanctions, restrictions, and impediments, in line with the commitments of NATO allies at last October’s summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Fidan will underscore that such restrictions not only harm the national defense capacities of individual allies but also undermine the alliance's deterrence and defense efforts and capabilities in the current international security environment.

He is expected to highlight the need for NATO to boost its contributions to international efforts in comprehensive counterterrorism, stressing that combating terrorism is a fundamental element for the security of NATO's southern flank and Europe.

Fidan will share Ankara’s views and proposals on how Europe's defense and security can be more effectively ensured in a strategic environment shaped by threats and challenges.

During the meeting, Türkiye plans to bring up a joint letter to the European Commission president sent by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk proposing an air defense shield funded by the EU.

Türkiye aims to bring up the implications and drawbacks of this proposal.

The trilateral political-military consultation mechanism was established in 2012 at the initiative of Romania, and the first consultation at the foreign ministers’ level took place in Warsaw in 2016.

Türkiye hosted the most recent trilateral foreign ministers meeting in 2022.