Turkey's Erdogan says NATO summit must emphasize unity and resilience

President Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey anticipates the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara to underscore the alliance's unity and resilience. The summit, scheduled for July 7-8, will convene leaders from 32 NATO member states along with partners from the Gulf and Asia-Pacific regions.

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Our main expectation from the summit is to achieve results that guard allies' national security sensitivities, strengthen the spirit of alliance solidarity and unity.

Erdogan specifically called for the lifting of restrictions on defense trade, emphasizing the need for balanced and fair burden-sharing among allies. He also expressed Turkey's desire to be involved in initiatives aimed at bolstering European security, highlighting the nation's significant contributions to the continent's defense.

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If we want to combat the tests we are facing, we must lift restrictions on defence industry trade while carrying out burden sharing in a balanced and fair manner.

The summit takes place amidst existing tensions within NATO concerning defense spending, burden-sharing, and strategic engagement in various global conflicts. Turkey has voiced concerns over perceived oversights of its contributions to European security and has advocated for greater inclusion in defense planning.

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As a nation that has a say in the development of the alliance's European pillar, we have the will to join all defence and security initiatives in the continent.