The Fourth Italo-Turkish Intergovernmental Summit, held in Rome on April 29, marked a turning point in Turkish-Italian relations, elevating them to an unprecedented level of strategic cooperation. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni underscored the exceptional bilateral ties, culminating in the signing of over ten agreements across a broad spectrum of fields, including science, sports, and business. The summit reaffirmed the political will on both sides to transform mutual interests into long-term partnerships.
One of the summit’s key outcomes was the adoption of a joint declaration aiming to boost bilateral trade to $40 billion. This goal is supported by steadily increasing trade volumes, which have grown from $19 billion in 2019 to $32 billion projected for 2024. With Italy now Turkey’s top trading partner in the Mediterranean and its second-largest in Europe, both nations are positioning themselves as pivotal actors in the broader Eurasian economic space.
From a geopolitical standpoint, the summit signaled a potential shift in regional alignments. The leaders discussed forming a strengthened Turkish-Italian axis designed to counterbalance global uncertainties and reduce external vulnerabilities. A high-profile business forum accompanying the summit explored collaborations in energy, circular economy models, innovation, and defense — all areas critical for sustaining Eurasian economic integration and regional stability.
Energy and defense cooperation stood out prominently. Turkey reaffirmed its role as a key partner in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, while Italian investments in Turkey’s Sakarya gas field continue to grow. Most notably, a memorandum of understanding was signed to begin production of Turkish unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Italy — a strategic move with implications for both countries’ defense capabilities and export potential.
On the international front, the leaders addressed a range of urgent geopolitical issues. Prime Minister Meloni expressed gratitude to President Erdoğan for Turkey’s mediation efforts in Ukraine and its crucial role in curbing illegal migration to Europe. Discussions also covered the stabilization of Syria, a potential ceasefire in Gaza, and peace efforts in Libya, demonstrating how the Turkish-Italian dialogue touches on key nodes of Eurasian and Mediterranean geopolitics.
The summit highlighted Turkey’s evolving role as a strategic partner for Europe. Erdoğan praised Meloni’s “boldness” in pursuing a deeper bilateral relationship, reinforcing the notion that Turkey is not just a neighboring state but a necessary ally in shaping a multipolar, interconnected Eurasia. The agreements reached in Rome pave the way for institutionalizing this partnership in a manner that could influence the broader region’s future.
As Eurasian integration gains momentum, the strengthening of Turkish-Italian ties offers a concrete model of how middle powers can collaborate to build more resilient, diversified regional frameworks. With shared interests in trade, energy, and security, this bilateral partnership could become a cornerstone of a larger Eurasian strategic architecture — one that values interdependence, stability, and sustainable development.
Source: www.aa.com.tr