Türkiye and Moldova are seeking to deepen bilateral cooperation while supporting the economic, social and cultural development of the autonomous Gagauzia region, a senior official from Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) said during talks with Moldovan leaders on

Kürşad Zorlu, AK Party deputy chair responsible for relations with Turkic states, met Moldovan President Maia Sandu during a visit to the capital Chisinau, where he said relations between the two countries continued to expand.

Zorlu said Türkiye was closely following developments in Gagauzia and would continue contributing to efforts aimed at supporting the region’s economic and social development, preserving its cultural heritage and strengthening its ties with Moldova.

He also invited Sandu to attend the COP31 U.N. climate summit, which Türkiye is set to host in November.

Sandu said Moldova attached significant importance to its relations with Türkiye and welcomed Ankara’s growing international role. She said Gagauzia’s constitutional rights and autonomous status would be protected and expressed readiness for high-level cooperation with Türkiye on the region.

Sandu also said she looked forward to opening a vocational high school built by Türkiye together with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Zorlu separately met Moldovan Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, with talks focusing on Türkiye’s regional role, the Russia-Ukraine war and Moldova’s territorial integrity.

Despite wars and major upheavals in its neighborhood, Türkiye has continued to strengthen its position while seeking to contribute to peace and stability through mediation efforts, Zorlu noted.

Addressing the war in Ukraine, Zorlu said Türkiye maintained relations with Russia while pursuing a policy aimed at ending the war and supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

"In this context, Moldova’s territorial integrity is undoubtedly also very important to us,” he stressed.

Zorlu also held talks with Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, saying Türkiye-Moldova relations were developing rapidly on the basis of mutual trust, friendship and shared interests.

He reiterated Ankara’s support for Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and highlighted growing economic ties. Bilateral trade has reached the countries’ $1 billion target, Zorlu said, adding that the two sides hoped to set a new goal and further expand economic relations.

Gagauzia, an autonomous region in southern Moldova populated predominantly by the Gagauz, a Turkic-speaking Orthodox Christian people, has long served as an important dimension of Türkiye-Moldova relations.

Zorlu said Türkiye could pursue joint investments in Gagauzia alongside initiatives supporting the Gagauz language and culture, stressing that the region’s prosperity could not be separated from Moldova’s broader stability.

Tofan thanked Türkiye for its projects and support in Moldova and described Gagauzia as an important bridge between the two countries.

Zorlu later met Foreign Ministry State Secretary Carolina Perebinos for talks on future cooperation, reiterating Türkiye’s support for Moldova’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He said Moldova’s stability and prosperity were important for broader regional peace and security.

Following his meetings in Chisinau, Zorlu traveled with his delegation to Comrat, the capital of Gagauzia, for further talks and visits.

In December 1994, Moldova's Parliament offered some 160,000 Turkic Gagauz people within its borders a large degree of autonomy in order to create a favorable environment for maintaining a national identity and culture.

In 2020, Türkiye opened a consulate in Comrat, the capital of Moldova's Gagauzia, becoming the first country ever to do so in the territory.