The fourth Türkiye-Italy Intergovernmental Summit, held in Rome on April 29, was less a diplomatic formality than a carefully staged demonstration of realpolitik. While European media treated it as routine, the Turkish state press—TRT Haber, Anadolu Ajansı, and Daily Sabah—painted it as a watershed moment. Their coverage reveals not just the summit’s tangible outcomes (defence agreements, energy pacts, trade targets) but also the broader narrative Ankara wishes to project: Türkiye as an indispensable Mediterranean power, too consequential to be sidelined by Brussels.
The NATO facade and the EU backchannel
The official rhetoric leaned heavily on NATO solidarity. TRT Haber quoted Erdoğan’s declaration that the two nations, as “strategic NATO allies,” would bolster cooperation on Mediterranean security, Middle East stability, and transatlantic unity. But the subtext was unmistakable: Türkiye is leveraging Italy to soften EU resistance.
Consider the language in Anadolu’s report:
“The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of accelerating the Türkiye-EU visa liberalization dialogue and updating the Customs Union—a move that would benefit both sides.”
This was no throwaway line. Türkiye’s state media consistently frames Italy as a sympathetic mediator, a role Rome has occasionally played (e.g., Meloni’s muted criticism of Türkiye compared to France or Germany). The summit’s joint declaration even included a carefully worded nod to Türkiye’s EU accession prospects—an increasingly abstract notion, yet one Ankara clings to for symbolic leverage.
Baykar’s Italian frontier: Drones as diplomatic currency
If NATO solidarity was the public script, defence industrial cooperation was the summit’s unspoken headline. The signing of a memorandum between Türkiye’s Baykar and Italy’s Leonardo—officially to explore “joint UAV development”—was touted by Anadolu as a milestone:
“The agreement marks Türkiye’s entry into Europe’s defence industrial base, combining Baykar’s combat-proven drone technology with Leonardo’s aerospace expertise.”
This is more than business; it’s geopolitical maneuvering. Türkiye’s defence exports hit a record $7.15 billion in 2024 (Anadolu data), but European markets remain wary due to political tensions (e.g., Greek objections to Turkish drone sales). By partnering with Leonardo—a heavyweight in NATO procurement—Baykar gains a backdoor into EU markets.
TRT Haber went further, quoting Erdoğan’s veiled jab at detractors:
“Those who once dismissed our defence industry now seek our technology. This is the fruit of our strategic patience.”
The message to Europe? Türkiye’s military-industrial rise is irreversible—and exclusion comes at a cost.
Mediterranean energy alchemy: The Rome-Ankara axis
Energy dominated the economic agenda, with Anadolu highlighting Italy’s role in Türkiye’s gas hub ambitions:
“The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), carrying Azerbaijani gas to Europe via Türkiye and Italy, was a focal point. Rome’s investments in Türkiye’s Sakarya gas field signal long-term alignment.”
The joint declaration went further, explicitly emphasizing “the strategic importance of the Southern Gas Corridor in enhancing energy supply security and resource diversification” with both parties expressing “satisfaction with the strong cooperation in this field.”
This is classic energy realpolitik. Italy, reliant on Russian gas before 2022, now seeks diversification. Türkiye, positioning itself as a transit nexus, offers an alternative—but with strings attached. The declaration’s recognition that “energy has overall value for common development, security and prosperity, including in the Mediterranean region” reveals the geopolitical stakes beyond simple commercial transactions.
The summit’s emphasis on “renewable cooperation” (hydrogen, solar) also lets both sides dodge criticism over fossil fuels. The carefully balanced phrasing—pledging to “strengthen cooperation in renewable energy, energy efficiency, hydrogen, and natural gas infrastructure”—legitimizes continued investment in fossil fuels while nodding to green priorities. More telling is the new focus on “enhancing cooperation to ensure the security of supply chains for critical minerals and rare earths”—an emerging front in energy politics that Turkish media largely overlooked.
The €40bn mirage: Trade as Political Theater
The oft-repeated €40 billion trade target—up from €32 billion in 2024—was framed as inevitable by Turkish outlets. Daily Sabah noted:
“Italian giants like Fiat and Indesit already rely on Turkish manufacturing. Expanding into defence, tech, and energy will unlock new growth.”
Yet the figure is aspirational. While Italy is Türkiye’s second-largest EU trade partner, sanctions, visa barriers, and currency instability loom. The summit’s business forum, packed with CEOs, was as much about optics as economics—a staged display of mutual dependence.
The migration bargain: Rome’s silent priority
Absent from the Turkish press’s triumphalism was any deep discussion of migration—the real quid pro quo. The joint declaration’s vague pledge to “combat irregular migration” (Anadolu’s phrasing) hints at Meloni’s unstated priority: keep Türkiye as Europe’s border guard.
Erdoğan, ever the pragmatist, knows this. In 2016, he leveraged the refugee crisis for €6 billion in EU aid. Today, with Meloni desperate to curb Mediterranean crossings, Türkiye’s cooperation is currency.
The unspoken truth: Beyond Anadolu’s narrative
The Turkish media’s narrative—of a resurgent Türkiye forging equal partnerships—glosses over asymmetries. Italy gains energy security and fewer migrants; Türkiye gets investment and EU whispers. But as Anadolu’s gushing coverage proves, perception matters.
For Ankara, the summit was less about immediate gains than proving it can still play Europe’s game—on its own terms.