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Belgian Defense and Foreign Trade Minister Theo Francken praised Türkiye's international influence and called for the country's inclusion in the European Security Action (SAFE) Program during his visit to Ankara, emphasizing Türkiye's role as a mediator in global conflicts.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency on Saturday, Francken noted Türkiye's position in facilitating peace negotiations, stating: "Türkiye is in a perfect position for peace talks because it is a strong country and everyone listens to Türkiye internationally."
Francken emphasized Türkiye's long-standing NATO membership and strategic importance to the alliance, describing the country as "an old and wise country, a friend and ally of the West and NATO."
The Belgian minister acknowledged Türkiye's challenging geopolitical position compared to Belgium's more comfortable geographic location, noting that this has driven significant defense investments.
"I think Türkiye is a role model in this area. It is making really big investments, with lots of innovation, technological developments, unmanned aerial vehicles, laser technologies ... Really impressive," Francken said.
Francken also commended the advancement of Türkiye's defense sector, particularly in research and development initiatives.
"You are conducting innovation, research and development work very seriously. To me, Türkiye is a real example for the future," he said, emphasizing that the bilateral relationship should extend beyond defense to encompass multiple cooperation areas.
Francken strongly advocated for Türkiye's inclusion in the European Security Action Program, describing it as Belgium's official policy position.
"Türkiye should be included in the SAFE Program. This is Belgium's policy. We adopt a progressive approach on this issue because Türkiye has a remarkable industry, economy and defense, which are very important," he stated.
The minister emphasized the necessity of including non-EU countries like Türkiye in European security frameworks, arguing that such inclusion is essential for comprehensive regional security.
"We need Türkiye," Francken declared, announcing that Belgium will appoint a defense attache to Brussels this year, specifically focused on the Turkish defense industry and weapon systems.
Francken also acknowledged current limitations in bilateral defense industry cooperation between Belgium and Türkiye, describing the situation as insufficient despite existing collaboration within NATO frameworks.
"There is little cooperation in the industrial field," he said, characterizing this as a "deficiency" that needs addressing through stronger partnership development.
The minister emphasized that the lack of enhanced cooperation stems not from unwillingness by either country but from insufficient initiative-taking to date. He expressed hope for establishing a new memorandum of understanding with his Turkish counterpart next year.
Francken announced plans for a significant economic mission to Türkiye in 2026, led by Belgian Princess Astrid and including 500-600 Belgian entrepreneurs.
"We will come with an economic delegation because I am not only the defense minister but also the foreign trade minister. In June, for about a week, we will be here with 500 to 600 Belgian entrepreneurs. This will be Belgium's largest economic delegation to date coming to Türkiye," he announced.
The minister highlighted Türkiye's economic significance to Belgium, noting that Türkiye ranks as Belgium's fourth-largest trading partner among non-EU countries, following the United Kingdom, China, and the United States. Bilateral trade volume reached €12.5 billion ($14.68 billion) in 2024.
Francken praised Türkiye's mediation efforts in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, referencing the Istanbul peace negotiations where Türkiye consistently supported Ukraine.
"Türkiye is also a very important country regarding Ukraine. With the peace negotiations held in Istanbul, Türkiye has always supported Ukraine, and Belgium also supports Ukraine. We need peace and Türkiye is a very important partner in this regard, a strong country," he said.
The minister noted that Ukrainian and Russian diplomats met in Türkiye for peace discussions, though peace has not yet been achieved due to Russia's aggressive stance and unwillingness to pursue a peaceful resolution.
"We want peace in Europe. We want peace in Ukraine," Francken stated, affirming Belgium's unwavering support for Ukraine.
Addressing the Gaza situation, Francken called for increased humanitarian assistance while acknowledging the conflict's complexity.
"What we need to do is apply political and diplomatic pressure for more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. Civilians should not die of hunger because of war," he stated.
The minister indicated Belgium's readiness to provide humanitarian assistance, noting that Belgian armed forces are prepared to airdrop humanitarian supplies when authorization is granted.
"We have done aid before. We can start aid from Jordan again. We are ready to do this," Francken said, emphasizing Belgium's commitment to helping Gaza's civilian population.
He argued that Hamas should release hostages to prevent conflict escalation while maintaining that Belgium cannot independently resolve Middle East situations, which require regional solutions.
Throughout the interview, Francken consistently stated Türkiye's strategic value to European security and NATO operations, highlighting the country's military capabilities across land, air, and naval forces.
"It has a strong army, a strong air force, and a strong navy. We need Türkiye, that's why I'm here," he concluded, underscoring the visit's purpose in recognizing Türkiye as a reliable and important partner for NATO.
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