UPDATE 2 - Turkish president arrives in Spain for 8th bilateral intergovernmental summit

UPDATES WITH DINNER EVENT

By Seda Sevencan, Yasin Gungor and Mehmet Tosun

ISTANBUL (AA) — Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Spain Wednesday to attend the eighth intergovernmental summit between the two countries, his office announced.

Erdogan was welcomed at the Madrid Torrejon Airport by Fernando Mariano Sampedro Marcos, Spanish state secretary for the EU, as well as Spain's Ambassador to Ankara Cristina Latorre Sancho, Türkiye's Ambassador to Madrid Nuket Kucukel Ezberci, and other officials.

After his arrival, Erdogan held a closed-door meeting with Spain's King Felipe VI at the Royal Palace of Zarzuela. Following the meeting, Turkish President Erdogan attended a dinner held in his honor by the Spanish king, which was also closed to the press and included delegations from both countries.

The president was accompanied by a large delegation, including First Lady Emine Erdogan, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli and Trade Minister Omer Bolat.

The two countries will hold the 8th Türkiye-Spain Intergovernmental Summit on Thursday, with the talks to be chaired by Erdogan and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Sanchez has said that the summit is seen as an indication of deepening ties between the two nations.