Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in Ankara shortly before 3 pm Greek time on Wednesday for the official meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting between the two leaders is already underway.

The visit marks the 11th meeting overall between Mitsotakis and Erdogan. The talks are being held in the framework of the 6th High-Level Cooperation Council between Greece and Turkey, a bilateral mechanism aimed at strengthening cooperation and maintaining open channels of communication between the two neighboring countries.

Meeting at the White Palace

The meeting between Mitsotakis and Erdogan is being held in an expanded format, with both foreign ministers and the two leaders’ diplomatic advisers taking part in the talks.

During the initial greeting, Mitsotakis addressed Erdogan with “Hello, Mr. President,” according to reports, with the Turkish president returning the greeting. The two leaders were heard exchanging brief pleasantries, saying, “Everything is fine, very good,” before proceeding to formal discussions.

Ceremonial Welcome in Ankara

The Greek leader received a ceremonial welcome with an honor guard at the airport. Mitsotakis was greeted by Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, the deputy governor of Ankara, the deputy mayor, and the Turkish ambassador to Greece. He paused to observe the formal honors before proceeding to the White Palace, where his meetings are scheduled.

Accompanying the Prime Minister is Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, while the rest of the Greek delegation arrived separately on another flight.

In a social media post, Ankara’s deputy mayor, Faruk Köylüoğlu, confirmed welcoming Mitsotakis and conveyed the greetings of Mansur Yavaş, mayor of the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality.

The visit marks a key diplomatic engagement between Greece and Turkey, with Mitsotakis’ meetings expected to focus on bilateral relations and regional issues.

Following the session of the High-Level Cooperation Council, Mitsotakis and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are expected to address the press at 5 pm Greek time. A state dinner hosted by Erdoğan will follow, attended by the Greek delegation.

The dinner will also include Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who accepted Erdoğan’s invitation to attend. According to an announcement by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Patriarch Bartholomew will be accompanied by Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, who was also invited.