President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Feb. 11 that Türkiye and Greece, as neighbors and NATO allies, should maintain open dialogue channels and pursue cooperation, despite complex bilateral issues in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Erdoğan highlighted efforts to raise bilateral trade to $10 billion, up from nearly $7 billion in 2025, and noted that business councils from both countries had met to explore additional economic opportunities.
Recalling his visit to Athens in December 2023 for the fifth High-Level Cooperation Council meeting, Erdoğan emphasized that the Athens Declaration had committed both sides to sustained dialogue and closer bilateral ties. He said current high-level contacts provided a favorable basis for further progress.
Erdoğan acknowledged that while some issues between the two neighbors are complicated, they are not insurmountable if addressed through international law, goodwill, constructive dialogue, and a shared will to find solutions. “Both leaders saw value in maintaining dialogue channels and advancing relations through a positive agenda,” he said.
The president stressed the importance of acting with historical responsibility on minority issues, citing the human dimension of bilateral relations. He underlined Türkiye’s expectations that the Turkish minority in Western Thrace should enjoy full religious freedoms and access to education.
Erdoğan also addressed regional security concerns, including joint participation in European defense initiatives, and discussed the ceasefire process and peace efforts in Gaza. He reiterated Türkiye’s opposition to Israeli measures in the West Bank that, in his view, undermine the Palestinian Authority, calling for a just, two-state solution.
He added that Greece, serving as a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council for 2025-2026, could help keep the two-state solution on the council’s agenda in line with regional interests. Erdoğan further highlighted ongoing efforts to restore stability in Syria, noting that such constructive engagement benefits both Syria and the broader security of Greece and Europe.