Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will travel to the United Kingdom on Wednesday, marking his first official visit to the country since assuming office, to discuss expanding bilateral trade agreements and defense cooperation, among other topics, with his British counterpart, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Turkish media reported, citing diplomatic sources.
The agenda will include Turkey’s readiness to renegotiate and expand the existing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Turkey and the United Kingdom, which was initially signed in December 2020 following the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union.
This move is seen as part of Turkey’s efforts to deepen economic ties with one of its primary trade partners. The current trade volume between the two countries reached $19.5 billion in 2023, and both governments have expressed intentions to increase it to $30 billion.
In addition to trade Fidan and Lammy are expected to explore areas for joint cooperation in the defense industry, energy and transportation.
Both nations are looking to identify new fields for collaboration, with counterterrorism and security also anticipated to be focal points of the talks. Lammy’s visit to Turkey in March of this year as shadow foreign secretary underscored the potential for strengthened relations under the current government led by the Labour Party.
Fidan’s visit will also emphasize Turkey’s stance on the escalating Israel-Palestine conflict, pro-government Daily Sabah news website reported.
Fidan is expected to address Turkey’s concerns about the difficulties in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, following Israel’s recent strikes in Lebanon and Iran, and to highlight Turkey’s opposition to a broader regional conflict.