Türkiye’s foreign minister to visit Austria for talks on bilateral, regional issues

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will pay an official visit to Austria on April 29–30 for talks with senior officials on bilateral ties and key regional and global developments, diplomatic sources said.

During the visit, Fidan is scheduled to meet Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger to discuss relations between the two countries.

He is also expected to be received by Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker and hold talks with Feridun Sinirlioglu, secretary general of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Also on the agenda are a speech by Fidan at the Vienna School of International Studies and meetings with representatives of Turkish civil society organizations.

Regional, global issues on agenda

Talks with Austrian officials are expected to cover bilateral relations in a comprehensive manner, including political, economic, trade, military, cultural and humanitarian dimensions.

Fidan is also expected to highlight the potential for cooperation in strategic sectors such as energy, digitalization, connectivity and the defense industry.

He is expected to stress Türkiye’s commitment to the well-being, prosperity and integration of the Turkish community in Austria, underlining that protecting their rights and interests remains a priority.

In discussions on Türkiye-EU ties, Fidan is expected to reaffirm Ankara’s commitment to full EU membership in line with the vision set out by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He is also expected to underline the need for a more comprehensive and institutional framework to overcome current challenges.

On regional issues, Fidan is expected to reiterate Türkiye’s support for efforts to bring Russia and Ukraine back to the negotiating table and achieve a just, lasting and sustainable peace.

He is also expected to express Ankara’s continued backing for initiatives aimed at ending tensions between Iran and the US.

He is further expected to underline the global importance of restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and returning to the pre-conflict status quo as soon as possible.

Fidan is also expected to draw attention to Israel’s continued ceasefire violations in Gaza.

Türkiye-Austria relations

Relations between Türkiye and Austria continue on a positive trajectory, with recent high-level contacts taking place on the sidelines of international meetings. Meinl-Reisinger most recently met Fidan during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

Bilateral trade volume exceeded $4.3 billion in 2025, with both sides aiming to raise it to $5 billion in the near term.

Austria’s direct investments in Türkiye surpassed $11.2 billion between 2005 and 2025, while Turkish investments in Austria totaled $887 million during the same period.

The Turkish community in Austria, numbering around 350,000, is seen as a key human bridge between the two countries.

More than 563,000 Austrian tourists visited Türkiye in 2025.

In addition to bilateral matters, the two countries maintain close coordination on regional and global issues, including European security.

* Writing by Seyit Kurt from Istanbul.