President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has opened the door to a new chapter in Türkiye-Germany relations, Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said Thursday.
Duran said that the two leaders highlighted their commitment to deepening economic ties, setting a goal of increasing bilateral trade volume from $50 billion to $60 billion, which he said indicated the strong foundation underpinning the economic partnership.
"The talks also underscored growing cooperation in defense industries and other strategic fields, promising long-term synergy between the two nations," he said.
Duran also noted that during the meeting, Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s firm stance on ensuring that the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza is not repeated and emphasized that lasting peace can only be achieved through a two-state solution.
"The president’s message reaffirmed Türkiye’s principled position on both humanitarian and regional stability," Duran added.
He noted that regarding the issue of Syria, both leaders expressed determination to maintain coordination and implement the March 10 agreement, reflecting Türkiye’s diplomacy centered on peace, stability, and solidarity.
Merz arrived in Türkiye on Thursday, on his first official visit to the country.
Germany considers Merz’s visit highly significant, viewing it as an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on major international and regional issues, a government spokesperson said Monday. "This visit is indeed very important to us," deputy spokesperson for the government Steffen Meyer told a press conference in Berlin.
