Turkey's Defence Minister Yasar Guler stated that NATO is actively adapting to a changing security environment and affirmed that the United States has no intention of withdrawing from the alliance, ahead of a significant NATO summit scheduled in Ankara next week.
The upcoming summit, set for July 7-8, will convene leaders from all 32 NATO member states, along with representatives from the Gulf and Asia-Pacific regions. This gathering occurs at a time of internal alliance discussions concerning equitable burden-sharing, defense expenditures, and U.S. concerns regarding allied participation in securing the Strait of Hormuz.
In his written responses, Minister Guler indicated that the summit's agenda will prioritize alliance unity, an assessment of increased defense spending by member nations, enhancement of defense industry collaboration, and reinforced support for Ukraine. He emphasized that Turkey should be an integral part of European defense initiatives.
"NATO continues to be an unparalleled and fundamental platform for Euro-Atlantic security and defence," Guler stated. "We evaluate the period we are going through not as a crisis, but as a process of adjusting to the changing security environment."
Guler further elaborated that while the United States remains committed to NATO, it seeks greater responsibility from European allies and Canada in securing Europe. He stressed that Turkey must be included in these defense plans and initiatives.
