'The relationship between the UK and Türkiye is underpinned by the strongest of strategic partnerships' says David Lammy
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy commended Türkiye's crucial contributions to its surrounding region Monday, emphasizing the country's determined efforts to curb Russian aggression against Ukraine and achieve a long-awaited ceasefire.
Following his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in the Turkish capital Ankara, Lammy spoke to the press.
Recalling that he has served as foreign secretary for a year, Lammy said: “I can safely say that in those 12 months in office, there has not been one month in which I have not met or spoken, often more than once, with Minister Hakan Fidan."
He noted that the frequency of the meetings reflects the close cooperation between Türkiye and the UK and pointed to the deep cultural ties between the two countries.
Lammy highlighted that an estimated five million UK nationals are set to travel to Türkiye this year, underscoring the country's appeal and the warmth of its hospitality. He also noted that a significant number of Turkish nationals make trips to the UK in return.
Lammy highlighted that his constituency includes long-established Turkish-speaking communities, adding that "the relationship between the UK and Türkiye is underpinned by the strongest of strategic partnerships."
He underscored the shared commitment of both nations to deepening their cooperation and pointed to the Free Trade Agreement as a key step in reinforcing these ties.
"We look forward to the negotiations over the coming weeks and months to get to that Free Trade Agreement," he said, adding "that free trade agreement will be building on £28 billion ($38.4 billion) worth of trade...Having Turkish industry and business working in partnership, often located in the United Kingdom, is a testament to that strong business relationship, as well as that strong people-to-people relationship."
Commenting on the timing of his meeting with Minister Fidan amid a geopolitically challenging environment, Lammy said “I have been hugely grateful to the work that Türkiye has done to try and to broker a peace, to try and put an end to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's aggression against Ukraine, working together to bring about peace in the surrounding Black Sea area and to get to that cease fire, which we have long wanted to see and to end the tremendous loss of life."
He also noted the heavy toll of the war, with over a million Russian soldiers killed, and highlighted continued attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and civilian population.
Regarding the crisis in Gaza, Lammy said both countries remain deeply mindful of the suffering there, saying: “Neither of us forget the suffering that we have seen.”
He highlighted the joint efforts made to ease the humanitarian crisis and reaffirmed a “crystal clear” commitment to achieving a two-state solution for the Palestinian people.
He added that Syria was also a key topic during the meeting, underlining the strong cooperation between the UK and Türkiye.
“I'm very grateful to you, Minister Fidan, for all of that important work that you do with us,” he said. “We have such a close working relationship, and I think you're going to see in the coming months more joint working between the United Kingdom and Türkiye at this very tough, challenging geopolitical moment.”
