Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken praised Türkiye’s defense industry as a "role model” ahead of a high-level economic mission to Ankara and Istanbul, highlighting growing cooperation between the NATO allies in defense, trade and technology.

Speaking before the May 10-14 visit, Francken said Türkiye had become a leading example in innovation, production capacity and defense research and development, particularly as European countries seek to strengthen their own military industries amid rising global tensions.

"The Turkish defense industry is truly at a very advanced level in terms of innovation and building a strong defense capacity,” Francken told Anadolu Agency (AA). "Therefore, they are a role model for me.”

The Belgian delegation, led by Queen Mathilde and regional government representatives, is expected to include more than 450 participants, among them dozens of defense companies, research institutions and universities seeking partnerships with Turkish counterparts.

Francken said around 40 agreements were already prepared for signing, with additional deals still under negotiation. He described the growing number of commercial and institutional partnerships as "a very positive and encouraging development.”

"A significant part of our defense sector is very interested in learning from the Turkish defense industry,” he said.

The remarks reflect increasing European interest in Türkiye’s rapidly expanding defense sector, which has gained international attention in recent years through advances in drone technology, naval systems, armored vehicles and domestic weapons production.

Francken said Belgium viewed Türkiye not only as an important NATO ally but also as a strategic economic partner positioned at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

"Türkiye is a very great economic and geopolitical power,” he said. "We need to work together. This is in both our interest and Türkiye’s interest.”

Trade volume between the two countries has reached roughly $8 billion annually, according to Francken, who also oversees foreign trade. He emphasized the importance of expanding economic cooperation across multiple sectors, including defense, biotechnology, health sciences, agriculture and food processing.

He also praised Türkiye’s workforce and education system, describing the country as home to "hardworking people” and a large pool of highly qualified young graduates.

"This means there are many opportunities we can do together,” he said.

On security matters, Francken stressed the importance of preserving NATO unity at a time of strains within the alliance, warning against divisions between Europe and the United States.

"We are an alliance, and NATO is the strongest alliance in the last 80 years of human history,” he said. "If we divide, we lose; if we unite, we survive.”

Francken said he hoped tensions inside NATO would ease and voiced support for closer trans-Atlantic cooperation on defense production and industrial capacity.

"The summit is extremely important,” he said, referring to upcoming NATO discussions expected to focus heavily on defense manufacturing, joint production and burden-sharing among allies.

The Belgian minister also rejected calls in parts of Europe for developing an independent nuclear deterrent, cautioning against what he described as irresponsible rhetoric.

"Sometimes people and world leaders talk about acquiring nuclear capacity as if it were buying a sandwich,” he said. "I don’t think that’s a good approach.”

Instead, he argued that Europe should focus on strengthening conventional defense capabilities while maintaining close cooperation with Washington within NATO’s existing deterrence framework.

Francken also pushed back against the use of trade tariffs in relations with Türkiye, saying he favored deeper economic integration over protectionist policies.

"I don’t want customs tariffs with Türkiye,” he said. "I think we have a good partnership, a good agreement.”