Turkey renewed its push for greater defence cooperation within NATO on Wednesday as President Tayyip Erdogan urged alliance members to remove restrictions that limit defence-industrial collaboration among allies. Ankara has long argued that political disagreements should not prevent NATO members from working together on defence projects, particularly as Europe seeks to strengthen its military capabilities in response to growing security threats.
The appeal comes as NATO leaders gather in Ankara for a summit focused on increasing defence spending, expanding military production and reinforcing the alliance amid continued tensions with Russia and instability in the Middle East.
Erdogan calls for equal defence cooperation
Addressing NATO leaders at the opening of the summit, Erdogan said restrictions on defence cooperation between allies should be removed.
“Restrictions among allies on defence cooperation, especially in the defence industry, must be lifted,” he said.
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He warned that excluding NATO members that are outside the European Union from European defence initiatives could create unnecessary divisions.
“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 said.
Turkey seeks greater role in European defence
Turkey has repeatedly sought participation in European defence initiatives, including the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) funding programme, which aims to strengthen the continent’s defence industry.
Despite possessing NATO’s second-largest military and becoming a major producer and exporter of defence equipment, Ankara has largely remained outside several Europe-led security projects because of political disputes with some EU member states.
Turkish officials argue that NATO allies should cooperate more closely regardless of EU membership.
Trump signals possible policy shift
Erdogan’s appeal came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated Washington could ease some longstanding tensions with Ankara.
During a meeting with Erdogan on Tuesday, Trump said he intended to lift U.S. sanctions imposed on Turkey and would decide whether to allow Ankara back into the F-35 fighter jet programme.
Turkey was removed from the programme after purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defence system in 2019, a move that triggered U.S. sanctions and strained relations between the two NATO allies.
Any decision to reverse those measures is expected to face opposition in the U.S. Congress.
Turkey pledges higher defence spending
Erdogan said Turkey remains on track to meet NATO’s target of spending 5% of gross domestic product on defence by 2030.
He announced that Ankara had allocated an additional $24 billion to its Steel Dome integrated air defence project, which is intended to strengthen both Turkey’s national security and NATO’s collective air and missile defence capabilities.
The Turkish president also called on alliance members to assume greater responsibility for Europe’s security while preserving NATO unity.
Future outlook
Turkey is expected to continue pressing for full participation in European defence initiatives as NATO members expand military spending and industrial cooperation. Whether European governments are prepared to ease political objections remains uncertain, while any U.S. decision on sanctions relief or Turkey’s return to the F-35 programme is likely to face congressional scrutiny. The outcome could shape Ankara’s role in NATO’s evolving defence architecture in the coming years.
With information from Reuters.
