President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted the importance of Spain's support to Palestine, as he met with King Felipe VI of Spain at the Royal Palace of Zarzuela in Madrid on Wednesday, as part of his Europe tour pushing for Palestinian sovereignty.

President Erdoğan told the Spanish king that increased international pressure on Israel could pave the way for permanent peace in Palestine and the region.

He noted that the "genocidal policies" of Israel in Palestinian territories must end as soon as possible, the Presidential Communications Directorate said.

Spain, Norway and Ireland formally recognized a Palestinian state last month in a coordinated effort to add international pressure on Israel to end its devastating war on Gaza.

Under Erdoğan’s leadership, Türkiye became the most prominent voice in the world championing the Palestinian cause. Türkiye advocates that recognition of Palestine may pave the way for ultimately resolving the longstanding Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Erdoğan found a kindred spirit in Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over the matter. Sanchez has been outspoken in his criticism of Israel long before the recognition of the State of Palestine, over brutal killings of thousands of people in the Gaza Strip since last October. Earlier in June, Spain announced that it would join South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) where Israel stands accused of genocide against Palestinians.

The meeting between the president and the king also addressed relations between Türkiye and Spain, and regional and global developments, as the Turkish president expressed his belief that ties between Madrid and Ankara would further develop.

He told the king that initiatives in trade and cooperation in the defense industry would benefit both countries.

Erdoğan also invited King Felipe to visit Türkiye "as soon as possible," the directorate said.

The president flew to Spain on Wednesday and will attend a G-7 summit in Italy later this week.

Erdoğan arrived in Madrid earlier on Wednesday, with a large delegation, consisting of his wife, first lady Emine Erdoğan, the family and social policies minister, the energy and natural resources minister, the treasury and finance minister, the trade minister, the industry and technology minister and the agriculture minister.

On June 14, Erdoğan will be in Italy for the G-7 summit he was invited by the host Italy. Italy has also sent an invitation to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia for the summit that will bring together leaders of Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Japan and Canada for a more comprehensive perspective on global challenges. Developments related to Gaza will also be among the important topics on the agenda of the G-7 summit. Erdoğan will hold talks with heads of state on the margins of the summit on necessary steps to end the conflict.

Erdoğan and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will chair the eighth intergovernmental summit of their countries on June 13. The summit seeks to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two Mediterranean countries.

The first intergovernmental summit of Türkiye and Spain was held in Spain in 2009 while Erdoğan was prime minister and the last summit was in the capital of Ankara in 2021. At the 2021 summit, the two countries announced that their relations were upgraded to a "comprehensive partnership" level.