ANKARA — Host country Turkey expects from the NATO summit here this week that national leaders will reaffirm the alliance’s principle of collective defense enshrined in Article 5, according to Defense Minister Yaşar Güler.
Speaking last month in Brussels, Güler described the 7–8 July gathering as a critical turning point where NATO will demonstrate its determination to adapt to the changing security environment and where its future strategic direction will be shaped.
Given the volatile security landscape in Europe, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in its fifth year, and war in the Middle East, Turkey’s leaders see the country’s strategic relevance for NATO on the rise.
The summit in Ankara comes at a moment when the alliance is reassessing its strategic identity amid shifting U.S. priorities in Europe, an evolving Russian threat environment, and increasing demands on European defense capabilities.
“With its strong military, advanced defense industry, effective diplomacy and strategic vision, Turkey will continue to be a key actor in NATO, Euro‑Atlantic security and regional stability,” Güler said.
Ankara acknowledges that the United States’ military restructuring in Europe requires European Allies to increase their investment and fill the gaps.
For Güler, Turkey’s growing defense sector is one of the assets to showcase at this year’s summit.
“We believe that the Defence Industry Forum, which will be held as part of the NATO Summit in Ankara, will make an important contribution to enhancing defense industrial cooperation among allies,” Güler said.
Serhat Süha Çubukçuoğlu, a senior fellow at the Abu Dhabi‑based TRENDS Research and Advisory consultancy, said the development of the Turkish defense industry increases Turkey’s weight within NATO.
However, this newfound clout risks running into political obstacles inherent in NATO’s relationship with the European Union, he said.
“With the vacuum created by increasingly isolationist U.S. policies, NATO is gradually taking on a more distinctly European character. As illustrated by Turkey’s effective exclusion from the SAFE program despite being a NATO ally, the obstacles created by Greek and Cypriot vetoes clearly demonstrate this reality,” Çubukçuoğlu said.
Megan Elizabeth Gisclon, managing editor and researcher at the Istanbul Policy Center, said the size of Turkey’s military and the government’s diplomatic ties with Middle Eastern nations as well as Russia make for a well rounded contribution to NATO.
Cem Devrim Yaylali is a Turkey correspondent for Defense News. He is a keen photographer of military ships and has a passion for writing about naval and defense issues. He was born in Paris, France, and resides in Istanbul, Turkey. He is married with one son.
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