A joint declaration after the 4th Intergovernmental Summit in Rome reaffirmed Turkish-Italian cooperation on regional and international issues.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was in the Italian capital on Tuesday to attend the summit alongside Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and later participated in a business forum. Erdoğan’s visit focused on strengthening economic ties, as well as ongoing cooperation in other fields between the two Mediterranean countries.
The declaration issued late Tuesday said two NATO allies and G-20 partners “reaffirmed their commitment to close cooperation on regional and international issues.”
“Both countries contribute significantly to peace and stability in Europe and beyond and aim to strengthen their partnership through regular high-level consultations,” it said.
The fifth intergovernmental summit will be held in Türkiye, the sides agreed in their joint declaration.
“The summit was convened amid major global developments, including the Ukraine-Russia war, debates on European security, trade tensions, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, irregular migration and climate change. These challenges require coherent responses and robust collaboration,” the declaration said.
“Recognizing Türkiye’s role in European stability and prosperity, both parties stressed the importance of advancing Türkiye-EU relations, considering Türkiye’s candidate status. They agreed to coordinate efforts to accelerate the EU visa liberalization dialogue, renew migration cooperation and strengthen counterterrorism efforts,” the declaration said.
Meloni on Tuesday praised the excellent relations with Türkiye and pledged to improve them further at a joint news conference with Erdoğan in Rome.
She underlined the historical and extensive ties between the two countries in multiple domains. "Today we confirm the solidity of our relations and lay the foundations to strengthen our partnership further," she said.
For his part, Erdoğan expressed his belief that Italy, which he said has supported the country's EU membership bid "from the very beginning," will continue to do so. Ankara will continue to strengthen cooperation with Italy, which has made significant progress in the defense industry, through new partnerships and projects, he added.
Türkiye has been a candidate for EU membership for over two decades, but talks stalled in 2016 over what Ankara says is the bloc’s “insistence on politicizing the issue.”
Türkiye suggests it has fulfilled most of the criteria for membership. Though the accession process stalled, the country has remained a key economic and defense partner for the 27-member bloc.
Regarding the economy, the declaration stated that the parties are committed to enhancing economic and trade cooperation through innovative and development-focused approaches.
“The 2024 bilateral trade volume surpassed the target of USD 30 billion. A new midterm target of USD 40 billion has been established. To achieve this, both sides agreed to hold the Third Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) Meeting in Türkiye in Q4 2025. The Business Forum held during the Summit was welcomed. The Parties pledged to encourage direct investments through industrial cooperation, technology transfer and key technology deployment. They also expressed interest in enhancing collaboration in digital technologies, AI, and cybersecurity,” the declaration said.
“Both sides acknowledged the importance of transport corridors for global supply chains and development, welcomed maritime cooperation and committed to expanding it. The role of road transport in trade was also recognized. They agreed to enhance civil aviation cooperation,” the declaration added.
On defense, the declaration stated that the two countries were committed to strengthening cooperation, especially in addressing threats from NATO’s southern flank. It endorsed the involvement of non-EU allies in EU defense initiatives.
Türkiye, with NATO's second-largest army and a Black Sea coastline, is looking to play a key role in Europe's security after Washington's pivot away from the region. Following rounds of crisis talks on Ukraine and security following Washington's policy shift, Ankara has been quick to warn that European defenses cannot be ensured without its involvement.
"It is inconceivable to establish European security without Türkiye," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in March.
Regarding defense industry collaboration, the declaration stated that Türkiye and Italy were committed to enhancing it and announced a defense industry cooperation meeting for later this year. On security, the declaration said both sides acknowledged progress in combating transnational organized crime and reaffirmed their commitment to counter terrorism-financing links.
“Cooperation will be strengthened to identify security threats and challenges, define strategic initiatives and share best practices in combating terrorism, organized crime, and cybercrime. Judicial cooperation will be enhanced in the areas of extradition, mutual legal assistance, and the protection of children, particularly in the areas of terrorism and organized crime. As NATO allies, the two countries will continue to bolster regional and international security efforts. The reinstatement of 'Italy-Türkiye Counterterrorism Consultations' was deemed essential,” it said.
The declaration also confirmed the two countries’ commitment to expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation in culture, science, youth, arts, innovation and archives.
On energy, the sides reaffirmed Southern Gas Corridor’s strategic role in energy security and regional cooperation. They emphasized the need to safeguard critical mineral and rare earth supply chains for the clean energy transition. The Southern Gas Corridor, a pipeline network delivering Caspian gas to Europe, runs from Azerbaijan through Georgia and Türkiye to Greece.
Regarding cooperation on international platforms, the declaration stated that Italy and Türkiye reaffirmed their support for multilateralism, U.N. cooperation and Security Council reform under the “Uniting for Consensus” initiative.
Türkiye and Italy also called for global efforts to address the root causes of migration and support legal migration channels. “A continued commitment was expressed to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling while respecting human rights,” the declaration said.
The declaration also touched upon the Palestine-Israel conflict and said the sides called for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza per U.N. Security Council Resolution 2735 and “supported humanitarian aid and post-conflict reconstruction.” They reaffirmed support for a two-state solution with a sovereign Palestine coexisting peacefully with Israel.
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Türkiye and Italy issued a joint declaration stating their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, as well as their commitment to aiding a lasting peace. In Libya, they voiced their support for a U.N.-facilitated, Libyan-owned political process aimed at preserving Libya’s unity, security and sovereignty.
On Syria, the sides expressed their commitment to the unity of Türkiye’s neighbor and an inclusive political process that ensures the rights of all Syrians. “Both sides expressed willingness to support Syria’s reconstruction through improved economic conditions and sanctions relief. Cooperation was agreed upon in aiding voluntary and dignified returns of Syrians and countering terrorism, in coordination with U.N. bodies like UNHCR and IOM,” the declaration also said.
