The Turkish leader called for restrictions on defence cooperation among NATO allies to be lifted
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan used the NATO summit on Wednesday to press the EU to stop sidelining Turkey from Europe’s defence plans, arguing that the continent’s rearmament cannot succeed without Ankara.
With leaders of the transatlantic alliance gathered at his presidential palace, Erdoğan used his opening address to urge the EU to “avoid duplicating NATO structures” and excluding non-EU allies from Europe’s emerging defence architecture, warning that such moves would “weaken transatlantic security.”
Turkey is currently excluded from EU defence programmes, including the SAFE defence loan instrument, as Greece continues to block Ankara’s full participation.
Erdoğan also renewed his call for restrictions on defence cooperation among NATO allies to be lifted, arguing that industrial barriers undermine the alliance’s collective capabilities. His remarks appeared to allude to long-running disputes over arms export restrictions and Turkey’s exclusion from the F-35 fighter jet programme.
