Türkiye and Czechia are seeking to expand cooperation in defense, technology and other sectors while increasing their bilateral trade volume to $10 billion (TL 484.21 billion), Turkish Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Fuat Oktay said Tuesday during an official visit to Prague.
Oktay, an Ankara lawmaker from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), traveled to the Czech capital with members of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee at the invitation of the Czech Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security.
The visit is aimed at strengthening interparliamentary ties, exploring new areas of bilateral cooperation and exchanging views on regional and international developments.
Oktay said the Turkish delegation was scheduled to hold talks with Czech officials, including the industry and trade minister, members of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, the Türkiye-Czechia parliamentary friendship group and officials dealing with European Union affairs.
Economic and defense cooperation are expected to feature prominently in the talks.
Oktay said bilateral trade had already surpassed an earlier target of $5 billion and reached about $6.5 billion, with the two countries now seeking to raise that figure to at least $10 billion.
“We have a trade volume that has reached $6.5 billion, but we now have a target of bringing it to the $10 billion level and beyond,” Oktay said. “We see that relations are progressing very rapidly toward exceeding that level.”
Defense ties in focus
Oktay said defense industry cooperation was among the areas offering significant potential for expanding ties between the two NATO allies.
He pointed to an agreement involving Turkish defense company Aselsan and a Czech group, saying there was scope to turn existing cooperation into more concrete projects, including potential investment involving Aselsan.
Talks are also continuing on cooperation in air defense systems, particularly short-range and low-altitude air defense capabilities, Oktay noted.
He added that Türkiye’s state-owned Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE) as well as private-sector companies could also become part of broader defense cooperation.
Beyond defense, the two sides are looking at cooperation in engineering, innovation and research and development.
Oktay stated that Czechia had advanced capabilities in those fields, while Türkiye had significantly expanded its technological and innovation infrastructure over the past decade.
The two countries would examine how that potential could be transformed into concrete projects and how lawmakers could help remove barriers facing businesses and investors, he said.
Oktay also pointed to aviation and tourism as areas with room for further growth, citing an agreement reached in 2025 between two airline companies.
He said stronger air links could contribute not only to tourism but also to cultural and commercial ties.
Türkiye currently hosts about 400,000 Czech tourists, while roughly 100,000 Turkish tourists travel to Czechia, according to Oktay.
Ukraine, Middle East on agenda
Regional security and international developments are also expected to form a major part of the talks in Prague.
Oktay said the delegation would discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, noting Czech concerns about security threats stemming from Russia and Türkiye’s ability to maintain dialogue with both Moscow and Kyiv.
Türkiye has sought to position itself as a diplomatic intermediary in the conflict, maintaining political and economic ties with Russia while supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Oktay said Ankara’s communication channels with both sides could contribute to efforts to find diplomatic solutions and that parliamentary diplomacy could complement those initiatives.
The talks are also expected to cover developments involving Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and Gaza, as well as Israel’s policies in the region, Oktay said.
The officials also discussed the developments in the Balkans, European security architecture, trans-Atlantic relations and NATO’s future posture following decisions taken at the alliance’s latest summit.
Oktay said the Prague meetings followed talks held between the two countries’ parliamentary committees in Türkiye in May, the first such committee-level meeting after a lengthy break.
He said both sides had concluded after that meeting that the range of potential cooperation was broad enough to warrant more frequent and detailed consultations.
“This is the second meeting,” Oktay said, adding that the two sides hoped to continue with third and fourth rounds without lengthy intervals.
Oktay also thanked the Turkish ambassador to Prague and embassy staff for their work and hospitality, saying the delegation had observed the services provided to Turkish citizens in Czechia during the visit.
