Dutch top diplomat to make first official visit to Türkiye

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen will pay a working visit to Türkiye on Thursday, marking his first official trip to the country, diplomatic sources confirmed. During the visit, Berendsen is scheduled to hold talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, with discussions expected to focus on enhancing the multifaceted relations between the two NATO allies and increasing high-level exchanges.

Economic and Political Agenda

Fidan is expected to underline the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation through mechanisms such as the Türkiye-Netherlands Conference (Wittenburg Conference), with the 11th meeting planned in Türkiye seen as an opportunity to inject new momentum into the relationship. The ministers will also address economic ties, highlighting the shared goal of raising bilateral trade volume to $20 billion. Türkiye will emphasise the need for a strategic approach to EU relations, including progress on updating the Customs Union and establishing visa liberalisation, while ensuring that European security initiatives under NATO are implemented in coordination with all allies.

Regional Crises and Bilateral Ties

Fidan is expected to brief his Dutch counterpart on Ankara’s diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflicts triggered by Israeli and US attacks on Iran, stressing that these efforts aim to end hostilities as soon as possible and warning against the threat posed by Iran targeting third countries. He will also reiterate that Israel’s unlawful policies in occupied Palestinian territories, intensified attacks on Lebanon, and provocations against holy sites in East Jerusalem, particularly Al‑Aqsa Mosque, are unacceptable. The ministers will also touch on the Russia-Ukraine war and Syria’s reconstruction. Bilateral trade reached $13.3 billion in 2025, with the Netherlands being Türkiye’s largest source of foreign direct investment. Some 500,000 people of Turkish origin live in the Netherlands, strengthening the bond between the two nations.