Poland sees Türkiye as major NATO ally on southeastern flank, lauds its role

Poland views Türkiye as a major ally on the southeastern flank of NATO, the country's top official said on Wednesday, also citing growing defense cooperation between the countries and Ankara's strategic position as regional security challenges mount.

"We appreciate Türkiye as a major ally on the southeastern flank of NATO," Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told Daily Sabah on the sidelines of the two-day NATO summit, which took place in the Turkish capital.

"We also appreciate Türkiye's diplomatic role in trying to keep channels of communications with Russia open. So it's fitting that the summit is taking place here," he added.

Answering the question on the European defense spending and the commitments announced during the previous Hague summit, Sikorski cited spending since U.S. President Donald Trump's first term.

"European allies have doubled spending since the beginning of President Trump's first term of office. And we agreed ambitious goals at The Hague, and I'm very glad that here in Ankara we are reviewing this," he said.