By Sarp Ozer
BRUSSELS (AA) - Turkiye's National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Thursday met with his Dutch counterpart Kajsa Ollongren to discuss regional issues as well as defense-related matters.
The meeting took place in Brussels following discussion of Russian territorial threats to Georgia and Ukraine as part of a NATO defense ministers meeting.
The two exchanged views on regional security, defense, and cooperation in the defense industry.
Congratulating Ollongren on her new position, which she took in January, Akar stressed the importance of taking relations between Turkiye and the Netherlands to a higher level.
During the two-day meeting, NATO defense ministers are set to discuss plans to0 strengthen the southeastern part of the alliance, including the deployment of a battle group in Romania and battleships in the Black Sea region.
*Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev from Ankara