Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will travel to Brussels on Wednesday to attend the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting at the alliance’s headquarters, senior foreign ministry sources said on Tuesday.
Sources noted that Fidan is expected to hold several bilateral meetings on the margins of the gathering, including with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and other counterparts.
According to the sources, this year’s ministerial meeting carries added significance. It will serve both as a review of the decisions adopted at last June’s NATO summit in The Hague and as the first in-depth exchange among foreign ministers ahead of the 2026 NATO Leaders’ Summit, which Türkiye will host in Ankara on July 7–8.
The meeting will take place in two sessions
The first of the two sessions, reserved for NATO foreign ministers, will address the central items on the alliance’s agenda, with the Russia-Ukraine war expected to dominate the discussions.
Ministers are also set to assess recent developments along NATO’s eastern flank, challenges emanating from the alliance’s southern neighborhood, the situation in the Balkans, and the broader security implications of the Asia-Pacific for the Euro-Atlantic region.
Diplomatic sources say Fidan will underline Türkiye’s strong contributions to NATO and European security, including through its modern military capabilities and its defence industry.
He is also expected to brief allies on preparations for the Ankara summit, reiterate Türkiye’s view that efforts to strengthen Europe’s defence architecture must remain complementary to NATO, and emphasise that EU defence initiatives should remain open to all non-EU allies.
He will also, the sources said, reaffirm Ankara’s expectation that barriers to defence-industry cooperation among allies be removed.
War in Ukraine
The second session will convene the NATO–Ukraine Council, with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expected to attend.
Discussions will focus on the course of the war, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and the status of Ukraine’s reform agenda.
Sources say Fidan will reiterate Türkiye’s support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, share details of Ankara’s assistance, and stress that diplomacy must be given space to achieve a “just and lasting peace.”
He is also expected to convey Türkiye’s readiness to contribute to any credible peace initiative and outline Ankara’s assessment of recent developments affecting the conflict.
According to the sources, Türkiye intends to continue engaging all sides and supporting initiatives aimed at ending the war and stabilizing the Euro-Atlantic region.
