Fidan meets counterparts at NATO foreign ministers summit
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (L) attends the NATO foreign ministers' meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot (R), Brussels, Belgium, April 4, 2024. (AA Photo)


Türkiye's top diplomat, Hakan Fidan, met his Dutch and German counterparts on Thursday on the sidelines of a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels.

Diplomatic sources said Fidan held closed-door talks with Hanke Bruins Slot, the Dutch foreign minister, and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. He is also expected to meet with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and Bulgarian Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel.

NATO is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its establishment, which is coinciding with the summit. The foreign ministers' meeting is tackling issues such as general deterrence, counterterrorism, developments in Ukraine, preparations for the Washington summit and the current situation after Sweden and Finland were included in the alliance.

Fidan will stress that NATO members need to combat terrorism collectively and will express Türkiye's expectations regarding the fight against the PKK terrorist group and its offshoots, the sources said, adding that he will underline it is unacceptable for some NATO members to have relations with terror groups. Fidan will also highlight that members imposing sanctions and restrictions on each other in the defense industry goes against the spirit of the alliance and NATO's security is adversely impacted by such a situation. He will express Türkiye's views on effectively ensuring the defense and security of Europe.