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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili announced plans to increase bilateral trade to $5 billion during a joint press conference Tuesday, building on their countries' already robust economic ties.
Speaking at the Presidential Complex following bilateral talks, Erdogan said Türkiye and Georgia would "continue to work shoulder to shoulder for cooperation, peace and development in our region and beyond."
The leaders highlighted their progress toward previous trade goals, with Türkiye having achieved a $3 billion trade target set in earlier years. Türkiye has maintained its position as Georgia's largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, with current Turkish investments in Georgia approaching $2.5 billion.
"We are determined to promote mutual investments," Erdogan said, noting that over 2,000 Turkish companies operate in Georgia. Turkish construction firms have undertaken 300 projects worth $5.5 billion and continue to show strong interest in Georgia's infrastructure development.
Central to the discussions was the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway, which Erdogan described as "the backbone of the Middle Corridor." Both leaders emphasized the importance of bringing this transportation link to full capacity, viewing it as crucial for regional connectivity between East and West.
The railway is part of broader infrastructure cooperation that includes strategic oil and natural gas pipelines shared between the two nations. Kavelashvili noted that projects like the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway "are extremely important for our countries and add a new dimension to our political cooperation."
During the meeting, both leaders addressed regional security challenges. Erdogan reiterated Türkiye's "unwavering support for Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty," while Kavelashvili praised Erdogan's role in peace efforts amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
"Türkiye's efforts regarding Black Sea security and especially the President's role in establishing peace between conflicting parties is extremely important," Kavelashvili said.
The Georgian president also expressed appreciation for Türkiye's support of Georgia's European Union membership bid and confirmed his invitation for Erdogan to visit Georgia soon.
Both leaders discussed the trilateral cooperation mechanism involving Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Georgia, with plans for upcoming foreign ministers' and parliamentary speakers' meetings. They also addressed the situation of Ahiska Turks, a community historically displaced from Georgia, with Erdogan conveying expectations for their "safe and dignified return to their homeland."
The meeting concluded with discussion of defense industry cooperation and coordination on regional issues including the Caucasus peace process and conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Erdogan hosted an evening dinner for Kavelashvili and the Georgian delegation, with both countries' teams participating in the closed-door event.
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