Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini on the sidelines of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Ankara, where the two leaders discussed bilateral relations, regional developments, and ways to strengthen cooperation between their countries.

According to a statement from the Turkish Presidency, the meeting focused on enhancing Türkiye–Slovakia ties, with particular emphasis on expanding economic cooperation and advancing shared strategic interests within NATO.

President Erdoğan underlined the importance of increasing efforts to achieve the two countries' mutual trade and investment objectives, stressing that closer economic engagement would benefit both nations.

He noted that Türkiye and Slovakia have significant opportunities to deepen cooperation in key sectors, particularly transportation and energy, and called for making greater use of the existing potential to strengthen bilateral partnerships.

The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global developments, including European security and the future of NATO.

President Erdoğan emphasized the importance of reinforcing NATO's European pillar while maintaining the alliance's unity, stating that the European Union's defense initiatives should complement NATO rather than duplicate its role.

He reiterated Türkiye's commitment to strengthening collective security within the alliance and promoting closer coordination among NATO allies in addressing emerging security challenges.

During the meeting, Erdoğan also highlighted Türkiye's ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve regional conflicts through dialogue.

He said Ankara continues to work actively to help bring an end to the wars involving Iran and Ukraine through diplomatic initiatives, while also intensifying efforts to establish lasting peace and stability in Gaza and end the humanitarian crisis affecting the Palestinian enclave.

The meeting formed part of a series of bilateral talks President Erdoğan has held with world leaders on the margins of the NATO Summit in Ankara, where discussions have centered on collective defense, regional security, economic cooperation, and international diplomacy.

Türkiye and Slovakia maintain friendly relations as NATO allies, with cooperation spanning trade, investment, defense, and energy. Both countries have expressed their commitment to further strengthening their partnership while contributing to regional stability and security through closer collaboration within the alliance. (ILKHA)