ISTANBUL

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and his Italian counterpart Italian Guido Crosetto on Monday discussed bilateral and regional defense and security as well as cooperation in the defense industry, Türkiye's National Defense Ministry said on X.

Crosetto arrived in the capital Ankara at the invitation of Guler and was welcomed by the Turkish counterpart with a military ceremony.

Later, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also received Crosetto.

***Crosetto said on X afterwards: "Today, I had the opportunity to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by my counterpart, Yasar Guler. It was an opportunity to hear his views on key international security issues, including developments in Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, and, notably, the Middle East."

"We also discussed NATO’s role in defending Europe and potential cooperation between our armed forces."

**On his talks with Guler, he added: "It was a valuable chance to discuss issues of mutual concern, especially the ongoing crises in the Middle East. We focused on the situations in Syria and Africa, and both sides expressed strong support for fostering dialogue and stability, from the Balkans to the Middle East."