Türkiye Deepens Defense Ties with NATO Allies

(MENAFN) NATO’s Secretary General, Mark Rutte, offered strong approval of Türkiye’s military manufacturing sector on Tuesday and emphasized the need for deeper collaboration between the country’s defense industry and partners such as the United Kingdom, Norway, and the European Union.

“Türkiye has a very big defense industrial base. Sometimes (we) forget what they have. I visited some of their companies, it's really impressive,” Rutte remarked during his address at the NATO Public Forum in The Hague.

His comments acknowledged the noteworthy capabilities of Turkish defense firms and highlighted their growing role in NATO’s collective strength.

He continued by stating that efforts must be made to ensure the Turkish defense sector is “as closely connected as possible to the UK, Norway and the European Union.”

This reflects a call for tighter integration and collaboration across NATO allies in the realm of defense manufacturing and supply chains.

Rutte also cautioned against the danger of creating internal divisions within NATO that could arise from exclusive defense partnerships.

“Let’s not have these fences drawn up within NATO. It won't help,” he warned, signaling that unity and cohesion are vital to the alliance’s stability and effectiveness.

These remarks come as leaders from all 32 NATO member countries convene in The Hague from June 24 to 25 for a pivotal summit.

The meeting is primarily focused on increasing military expenditure and evaluating Ukraine’s pursuit of NATO membership, both of which are seen as key issues amid rising global security concerns.

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