Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday said Türkiye and France recognize the significant scope for deepening cooperation within NATO and strengthening European security, while advancing stalled Türkiye-European Union processes, following wide-ranging talks with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, in Ankara.
Speaking at a joint news conference after their meeting, Fidan said discussions focused on bilateral relations, Türkiye-EU ties and regional and global developments affecting both countries.
“We currently have several goals before us. One of them is updating the customs union agreement, and the other is implementing visa liberalization,” Fidan said, adding that the two sides exchanged views on how to overcome the deadlock in Türkiye-EU relations.
Fidan underlined that Ankara and Paris share responsibilities in European security due to their roles in NATO. “Considering the important roles both countries play in NATO and European security, we underlined that there is much we can do here as well, and that we need to come together more often to discuss certain issues,” he said.
He noted that cooperation between Türkiye and France extends across political, economic and security fields, with both sides working to further expand trade and economic ties.
Regional developments featured prominently in the talks, particularly Syria, Gaza, Iran and Mediterranean security, Fidan said. He stressed the importance of ensuring the uninterrupted fight against Daesh in Syria, describing counterterrorism as a shared priority.
The ministers also reviewed global security issues, including the Russia-Ukraine war. Fidan said discussions covered the latest diplomatic efforts and Türkiye’s potential contributions to the Coalition of the Willing aimed at advancing peace in Ukraine.
Barrot said France supports and views positively Türkiye’s participation in the coalition and called for sustained pressure against Russia. He said efforts to curb Russia’s energy revenues and counter illicit oil shipments, particularly in the Black Sea, were discussed.
On Gaza, Barrot said Türkiye is among the guarantors of the cease-fire and emphasized that Ankara and Paris have important responsibilities in maintaining stability and supporting a political transition.
“Türkiye and France have important roles to play in the political transition process in Gaza,” Barrot said, stressing the need to ensure humanitarian aid reaches civilians through secure corridors. He said both countries support a two-state solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict within the framework of the New York declaration.
Developments in Syria, which is working to recover from almost 14 years of civil war, were also addressed, with Barrot noting what he described as rapid progress and reaffirming the importance of continued coordination between Ankara and Paris.
The South Caucasus was another topic on the agenda. Barrot said France supports normalization between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as between Türkiye and Armenia, highlighting the reopening of borders and enhanced regional connectivity as key to long-term prosperity.
NATO cooperation was discussed in detail, with Barrot recalling that Türkiye will host the NATO summit in July. He said France is ready to participate in alliance exercises, including a potential drill in Greenland, and emphasized the importance of close coordination within the alliance.
Barrot also pointed to growing economic ties, saying trade between the two countries has exceeded 23 billion euros ($27.41 billion), with hundreds of French companies operating in Türkiye.
Despite differences of opinion on some issues, Barrot said Türkiye and France consistently work to find common ground through dialogue and cooperation, describing the bilateral partnership as intensive and strategic.
