Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called on NATO allies to remove restrictions on defence cooperation, particularly in the defence industry, during the opening of the alliance's leaders' summit in Ankara on Wednesday.
Erdogan stressed that such barriers hinder collective security and urged allies to ensure Turkey's full inclusion in European security frameworks.
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“Restrictions among allies on defence cooperation, especially in the defence industry, must be lifted,” Erdogan said.
He warned that excluding non-European Union allies from continent-wide defence systems would create artificial divisions across Europe.
“At a time when a model of cooperation based on common sense and reason is possible, excluding allies that are not members of the (European) Union would lead to artificial divisions in Europe,” Erdogan added.
The push follows a Tuesday meeting where U. S.
President Donald Trump indicated he would lift sanctions on Turkey and consider a potential F-35 fighter jet sale, though both moves are expected to face resistance in the U.
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S. Congress.
Turkey remains excluded from major European security initiatives like the SAFE funding scheme despite repeated requests, largely due to ongoing political and policy differences with EU members.
Turkey's Defence Commitments
To support collective defence, Erdogan announced financial and spending updates regarding Turkey's long-term military integration with the alliance.
Turkey has allocated a $24-billion additional budget for its “Steel Dome” air defence project, aimed at strengthening alliance-wide missile shields.
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The country remains on track to hit a 5% defence spending target by 2030, Erdogan confirmed.
