Turkish authorities stated that the nation has reduced its foreign defense dependency to just 20 percent in 2026.
Former NATO Ambassador and former Turkish Ambassador to the Netherlands Tacan Ildem emphasized the growing necessity of direct bilateral cooperation with Turkey among European Union nations.
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“More and more EU countries are choosing to cooperate bilaterally with Turkey. Countries like Poland, Romania, Spain, Italy, and even France are already doing so,” Ildem said.
Ildem noted that European allies are increasingly recognizing Turkey’s logistical and production capabilities to meet expanding defense requirements.
“It is not enough to just spend more money on defense. You also need to know where to get the necessary capacity and resources.
Turkey is an important partner in that, and more and more countries are starting to realize that,” he said.
Ildem acknowledged the political anxieties felt by alliance partners but maintained that Turkey’s strategic importance has grown, pointing out that Western nations face their own democratic struggles.
“Of course there can be criticism.
But if we look today, we see that the United States and European allies are also facing challenges in democratic norms.
Of course, every country must take its own responsibility and address shortcomings. But it is not right to always use those points as an argument,” he said.
The diplomat highlighted Turkey’s unique position as a mediator, referencing its successful negotiation of the 2022 Black Sea grain deal alongside the United Nations, which allowed millions of tons of grain to reach global markets before Russia violated the pact in 2023.
Turkey continues to utilize its geopolitical advantage and its status as the second-largest military force within NATO to secure its position.
“Since 2022, we see that allies are saying: fortunately there is someone who can talk to Russia. Turkey has kept an important communication line open,” Ildem said.
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Ankara aims to use the summit platform to bolster its influence within the alliance while generating new export opportunities for its domestic defense industry.
