Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to participate in a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on April 3-4, following discussions in Paris centered on European security, the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday.
The Brussels gathering will be the first collective consultation between NATO’s 32 allies and the new US administration. The meeting, organized in four sessions, will begin with talks on collective defense, burden-sharing, defense spending, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and preparations for the NATO summit scheduled for June in The Hague.
During the meeting, Fidan will highlight Turkey’s role in strengthening Euro-Atlantic security through its military capabilities and defense industry, while emphasizing NATO’s critical role as the cornerstone of European security, according to the ministry.
The second session will bring together NATO’s Asia-Pacific partners—Australia, South Korea, Japan, and New Zealand—to address shared security challenges and deepen cooperation with regional allies.
A third session will feature the NATO-Ukraine Council, joined by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, focusing on Ukraine’s defense requirements and strategies to resolve the conflict. Fidan will reiterate Turkey’s steadfast support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its commitment to achieving a sustainable cease-fire and enduring peace.
On April 4, Kallas will update NATO ministers on recent EU security initiatives. Fidan is expected to advocate for the inclusion of non-EU NATO allies, such as Turkey, in the EU’s defense efforts to ensure a cohesive approach.
Prior to the NATO meeting, Fidan was slated to visit Paris today for talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. Their discussions were expected to center on European security and the importance of enhanced coordination in shaping the continent’s evolving security architecture, the ministry noted.