Türkiye, Belgium seek deeper trade and defense ties: VP Yılmaz

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz announced on Wednesday that Türkiye and Belgium are seeking to expand cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, defense, energy, and digital transformation, following high-level talks in Ankara.

New momentum in strategic areas

Yılmaz met with Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot and his delegation at the Presidential Complex as part of the Belgian Economic Mission to Türkiye led by Queen Mathilde. In a post on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, Yılmaz said: “We are pleased that our relations with Belgium, our NATO ally and partner, are gaining new momentum in areas such as trade, energy, connectivity, defense industry and digital transformation.” He noted that bilateral trade volume reached $9.2 billion in 2025, with both countries aiming to increase the figure further in the coming years.

Defense cooperation and EU relations

Yılmaz emphasized that both nations are determined to strengthen defense cooperation within the NATO framework while deepening joint work on “strategic issues such as the Middle Corridor and energy security.” He also highlighted the importance of “a constructive, inclusive and strategic approach” in Türkiye-EU relations. He expressed hope that the meetings held during the Belgian Economic Mission—described as the largest Belgian delegation visit to Türkiye under Queen Mathilde’s leadership—would open the door to new partnerships and mark “a new turning point” in relations with both Belgium and the EU. Türkiye continues to advance its strategic partnerships with European allies while playing a key role in regional trade and energy corridors.