Turkish, Italian defense ministers discuss regional security, cooperation

Türkiye’s Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto met in Ankara on Monday to discuss bilateral and regional defense and security cooperation, according to Türkiye’s National Defense Ministry.

The visit, held at Guler’s invitation, included discussions on key international security challenges and potential defense industry collaboration.

Military ceremony and presidential meeting mark high-level visit

Crosetto was welcomed with a military ceremony upon his arrival in Ankara.

As part of his official visit, Crosetto was also received by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the headquarters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

Minister Guler was also present at the meeting.

Crosetto comments on NATO, Middle East and global security challenges

After the meetings, Crosetto shared remarks on X, noting the opportunity to exchange views with President Erdogan on major international issues.

“Today, I had the honor of meeting with the President of Türkiye, accompanied by my colleague, Yasar Guler. During the meeting, we had the opportunity to discuss ideas and reflections on topics of common interest, including the evolving international security scenarios in Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific and, particularly, the Middle East,” Crosetto said.

“We also addressed issues related to defense and deterrence of NATO, Europe, and potential cooperation between our armed forces,” he added.

He added that NATO’s role in defending Europe and possible cooperation between the armed forces of both countries were also discussed.

Focus on Syria, Africa and regional stability

Crosetto described his talks with Guler as a valuable chance to address issues of shared concern, particularly ongoing crises in the Middle East.

“We focused on the situations in Syria and Africa, and both sides expressed strong support for fostering dialogue and stability, from the Balkans to the Middle East,” he said.

The two ministers also discussed potential areas for collaboration in the defense sector, reflecting growing bilateral engagement between Türkiye and Italy in military technology and strategic defense planning.