President Erdoğan Heads to NATO Summit to Address Security Concerns and Support for Ukraine
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has departed for the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit.
During the summit, Erdoğan will engage in discussions aimed at strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense posture. Expectations from the summit focus on achieving outcomes that protect national security sensitivities of the allies and reinforce alliance solidarity.
Key topics include counter-terrorism efforts and the removal of barriers to defense industry trade among allies, which are crucial for implementing decisions made in Vilnius. Erdoğan is expected to underscore the increasing threat of terrorism and stress the need for NATO to conduct a comprehensive fight against terrorist organizations.
Erdoğan will reiterate Turkey’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence. As NATO defines its steps for supporting Ukraine, Turkey will maintain its principle of non-involvement in the conflict.
Highlighting Turkey’s significant contributions to NATO missions and operations, Erdoğan pointed out that Turkey is among the top five allies providing the most support, enhancing capabilities on land, sea, and air, and positioning itself as a backbone nation of the Alliance.
Erdoğan will also draw attention to the ongoing incidents in Gaza, bringing the continued massacres against the Palestinian people to the forefront. He will emphasize that the international community has fallen short in stopping Israel and that global conscience will not be at ease until a just and lasting peace is achieved in Palestine.