Belgium and Turkey Sign Nine Defense Agreements During Economic Mission

Queen Mathilde of Belgium led a four-day economic mission to Turkey from May 10-14, 2026, culminating in nine defense agreements that shift bilateral relations from political dialogue to concrete military-industrial cooperation. The delegation of over 400 representatives included government officials, business leaders, and academics focused on expanding ties in trade, defense, energy, and digital transformation. Six agreements were signed in Ankara on May 13, and three in Istanbul earlier in the week. The centerpiece is a high-level letter of intent between the defense ministries establishing a long-term strategic defense partnership. Specific deals include a memorandum of understanding between SAHA Istanbul and Agoria-BSDI vzw on defense and space innovation, an agreement between FNSS and John Cockerill Defense on armored vehicle production, and cooperation between Aselsan and Sonaca Group. Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken also expressed interest in purchasing Turkish drones, subject to European procurement rules, and Belgium will allow Turkish officers to study at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels. Belgium further backed Turkey's access to the European Union's 150-billion-euro SAFE initiative to strengthen European defense capabilities. Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz noted bilateral trade reached $9.2 billion in 2025 and emphasized increasing this volume while deepening strategic cooperation within NATO and improving Turkey-EU relations. These moves come as European nations seek to bolster their defense industries amid threats from Russia and potential U.S. disengagement from NATO.