Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen will make his inaugural visit to Türkiye on Thursday. The minister, who assumed office in February, will meet Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Ankara, with a busy agenda on Turkish-Dutch relations and other issues.
Foreign Ministry sources said on Wednesday that during the talks, Fidan is expected to highlight the importance of improving multidimensional relations between the two countries, especially in the framework of the planned 11th meeting of the “Wittenburg Conference” in Türkiye.
The conferences were inaugurated in 2008, in the eponymous castle in the Dutch Wassenaar. They were scrapped between 2014 and 2018 as the two countries’ relations deteriorated over a series of issues, particularly over the Dutch opposition to a campaign on the Turkish constitutional referendum that led to a diplomatic crisis. The sides resumed relations in 2019.
Still, issues remain between the two countries while Ankara apparently hopes to overcome them with the new Dutch government, which took office two months ago. One of them is the extradition of a terror suspect. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, who hosted his Dutch counterpart David van Weel earlier this month, pointed out the issue at the meeting. Gürlek stated back then that they were still awaiting the extradition of 217 Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and eight PKK members from the Netherlands, according to the minutes of the meeting released by the Turkish Ministry of Justice. FETÖ, which is known for its widespread infiltration in Türkiye, tried to overthrow the government three times in 2013 and 2016. When their network was uncovered in the wake of these attempts, members of the terrorist group fled abroad, mostly to Europe. Germany and the Netherlands were among the “safe havens” they found. European countries were quick to grant asylum to FETÖ members who portrayed themselves as members of the so-called innocuous-sounding “Service (or Gülen) Movement.” Gürlek also urged the Netherlands not to grant asylum or hand out residence permits to members of FETÖ and the PKK and to consider reviewing permits already issued.
Foreign Ministry sources said Fidan would also discuss sustaining work to increase bilateral trade volume to $20 billion. In 2025, the trade volume was $13.3 billion. The Netherlands ranks first among countries with direct investment in Türkiye, which reached to $33 billion in 2025. Türkiye’s direct investment in the Netherlands exceeded $21 billion. Two countries have a Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), which held its last meeting in Istanbul in January 2025.
Fidan is also expected to highlight the need for having a strategic viewpoint by the European Union in Turkish-EU relations and, in this context, will voice Türkiye’s anticipation of progress in matters including updating the customs union and establishment of visa liberalization, sources said. He will also talk about the need for cooperation with all partners under the umbrella of NATO for initiatives launched by the European Union to improve the continent’s security. The Russia-Ukraine conflict and a fallout with the United States on defense pushed Europe to boost its defenses. Last year, EU countries adopted a regulation setting up SAFE, a new financial instrument designed to support member states that wish to invest in defense industrial production through common procurement, focusing on priority capabilities. Türkiye seeks inclusion in the mechanism as a partner.
The talks will also focus on the Turkish diaspora in the Netherlands and how Türkiye prioritized their peace and prosperity. The European country hosts a Turkish community of around 500,000 people.
In addition, Fidan will discuss the conflict between the U.S., Israel and Iran that began with attacks on Iran and continued with Iran’s attacks on third countries. The ministry sources said Fidan will share information about efforts for a peaceful solution to the conflict. Separately, the Turkish minister will highlight how Israel’s illegal moves in the Palestinian territories, annexation policies and escalating attacks on Lebanon threatened regional stability. He will stress that Israel’s attempts and provocations targeting sacred sites, particularly Al-Aqsa Mosque, were unacceptable.
Sources said Fidan will reiterate Türkiye’s commitment to success in diplomatic processes to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict and underline how important it was for Syria to stay away from regional conflicts in its path to recovery, after years of civil war.
Türkiye and the Netherlands pursue close dialogue in the face of regional and global challenges and maintain multidimensional relations with political, economic, military and social aspects.
The last high-level meeting between the two countries was between then-Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the margins of the NATO summit in June 2025. Fidan himself visited the Netherlands for the 10th meeting of the Wittenburg Conferences in April 2024.
