NATO Chief aligns with Turkey’s outlooks on counterterrorism


(MENAFN) The new NATO chief, Mark Rutte, stated Tuesday that he and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan share a common perspective on counterterrorism, emphasizing that "fighting terrorism is something we also have to take up within the NATO context."

At his first press conference as NATO secretary general, Rutte outlined his top priorities: enhancing capabilities to protect against threats, supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, and addressing global challenges to Euro-Atlantic security.

Rutte, who officially took office in Brussels, succeeded Jens Stoltenberg and expressed optimism about collaboration, saying, “There's nothing we can’t achieve together."

When asked about Türkiye's expectations regarding counterterrorism and lifting embargoes among NATO allies, Rutte acknowledged the importance of these issues. He noted that he has discussed them with Erdogan multiple times, highlighting their cooperative history during his 14 years as Dutch prime minister and Erdogan's tenure as Turkish premier and president.

“I think I could say we are close friends, and we see eye to eye on this," Rutte said, adding that he is receptive to Erdogan's push for joint efforts in combating terrorism.

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