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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis vowed to maintain open dialogue and expand cooperation between their countries during a high-level summit in the Turkish capital on Wednesday, addressing longstanding disputes over the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean while setting ambitious trade targets.
The two leaders held bilateral talks at the Presidential Complex followed by a joint press conference, in which Erdogan struck an optimistic tone on resolving territorial disagreements that have strained relations between the NATO allies for decades. "Current issues are complex, but they are not unsolvable under international law," Erdogan said. "What is needed is goodwill, constructive dialogue, and the will to find solutions."
Erdogan said he and Mitsotakis discussed their respective positions on the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean "openly and sincerely," and expressed satisfaction that the two leaders were aligned on the path forward. The summit marks a continuation of diplomatic momentum that began with Erdogan's visit to Athens in December 2023 for the fifth meeting of the High-Level Cooperation Council, where the two sides formalized their commitment to sustained engagement through the Athens Declaration.
The economic dimension of the relationship featured prominently in the talks. Erdogan announced that the two countries are working toward raising bilateral trade to $10 billion, up from roughly $7 billion last year. Business councils from both nations also convened separately on the sidelines of the summit to explore commercial opportunities, he said.
The leaders adopted new documents during the visit that Erdogan said he hoped would strengthen the contractual foundation of the bilateral relationship. Türkiye and Greece, whose economic ties have grown steadily in recent years, appear to be betting that deeper commercial integration can help build trust on more contentious political questions.
Erdogan raised Türkiye's longstanding concerns about the treatment of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, a region in northeastern Greece that is home to a significant Muslim Turkish community. He said he shared Ankara's expectations that the minority be granted full access to religious freedoms and educational opportunities, framing the issue as a matter of "historical responsibility."
The Turkish president also said he reiterated Türkiye's expectations regarding cooperation on counterterrorism and combating organized crime. The Western Thrace Turkish minority has long been a sensitive point in bilateral relations, with Ankara regularly pressing Athens to expand the community's rights in education and religious governance.
The two leaders also surveyed a range of regional crises. Erdogan said they discussed the ceasefire process in Gaza and broader peace efforts, and he used the platform to sharply criticize recent Israeli moves in the occupied West Bank. "We reject Israel's recent decisions aimed at expanding its control in the West Bank and weakening the Palestinian Authority," he said, adding that lasting peace in the Middle East depends on a two-state solution to the Palestinian question.
Erdogan noted that Greece currently holds a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2025-2026 term, and expressed confidence that Athens would keep the two-state solution on the Council's agenda. The Security Council, comprising five permanent and ten rotating members, is the principal UN body responsible for international peace and security.
The leaders also discussed Syria, with Erdogan arguing that Türkiye's constructive role in the country is vital "not only for Syria itself, but also for the security of Greece and Europe." He called for Syria's future to be built on the principles of territorial integrity and inclusivity for all of the country's communities.
Following the press conference, Erdogan hosted Mitsotakis for a private dinner at the Presidential Complex that was closed to the media.
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