New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will pay his first official visit to Türkiye this week to participate in the ANZAC Day commemorations at Gallipoli, marking a significant diplomatic engagement between the two countries on the 110th anniversary of the historic Çanakkale Land Battles.

“This will be the first visit by a New Zealand Prime Minister to Türkiye since 2015. It also coincides with the 110th anniversary of the ANZAC landings,” Luxon stated ahead of the visit. “I am travelling to Gallipoli to honour the commitment and sacrifice of all New Zealand war veterans.”

As part of the visit, Prime Minister Luxon will be received in Istanbul by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday, April 25. The meeting is expected to address bilateral relations and mutual cooperation between Türkiye and New Zealand.

Fahrettin Altun, Türkiye’s Communications Director, confirmed the diplomatic engagement on social media platform X. “President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will receive New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who is visiting Turkey on the occasion of the 110th Anniversary of the Çanakkale Land Battles and ANZAC Day Commemoration Ceremonies,” Altun said.

“During the meeting, steps to further develop the relations between Türkiye and New Zealand based on historical friendship will be discussed and ideas on regional and global issues will be exchanged,” he added.

The Çanakkale (Gallipoli) Land Battles are a cornerstone of shared remembrance between Türkiye, New Zealand, and Australia, commemorated each year on ANZAC Day for the thousands who fought and died in one of the First World War's most defining campaigns. (ILKHA)