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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit Türkiye next Thursday (Nov. 6) for talks on bilateral relations and international issues, officials announced Friday.
Deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille said Merz will make his first official visit to Ankara to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“The discussions will include bilateral and foreign policy issues, as well as closer cooperation in the areas of the economy, migration and security,” Hille told a press conference in Berlin.
He emphasized that Türkiye is an important NATO ally and that Ankara and Berlin share many common interests, including foreign policy, migration, energy, and trade.
Hille also highlighted the close ties between the two countries, saying, “Through the many Germans of Turkish descent and the large Turkish community living in Germany, our countries are deeply connected.
From this perspective, Türkiye naturally holds special importance and is a particularly significant neighbor of the European Union."
"We are striving to achieve further progress in EU–Türkiye relations, and as you know, we are currently conducting high-level dialogues on trade, migration, and security," he added.
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When asked whether Türkiye might play a role in Germany’s efforts to deport Syrians, Hille said, “This is indeed an issue relevant to our relations with Türkiye, but I would ask you to wait for the meetings in Ankara.”
Hille added that a joint press conference is expected to take place following the talks.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran later confirmed that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will pay an official visit to Türkiye on Oct. 29–30 at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In a post on social media, Duran said the talks will take place at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Oct. 30.
“During the meetings, Turkish-German relations will be discussed in all aspects, and as two allies, steps to strengthen cooperation in various fields, including Türkiye’s EU accession process and global and regional security challenges, will be evaluated,” he noted.
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