Politics
Defense push, Türkiye’s role dominate NATO summit amid political divides
Speaking at the opening of the leaders’ summit of NATO in the capital Ankara on Wednesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan renewed his country’s commitment to the alliance while urging NATO members that are also EU members not to exclude Türkiye. The summit was an occasion to cement Türkiye’s role in international affairs and, beyond that, a venue to discuss the future of the alliance shaken amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict and a rapidly changing U.S. view of the bloc. Defense expenditures dominated the talks, which followed a defense industry forum on Wednesday where new defense deals were unveiled.
“We took measures to reach the 5% defense spending goal by 2030,” Erdoğan said as he delved into the country’s contribution to NATO. “Türkiye has taken measures to raise the ratio of our defense spending to the 3.5% level before 2030,” he added.
The president said Türkiye has already allocated 1.5% of its budget to security- and resilience-related expenditures.
He also announced that Türkiye has earmarked an additional $24 billion for its Steel Dome air and missile defense project, saying the investment is aimed at strengthening one of NATO’s most critical capability gaps. Highlighting Türkiye’s role within NATO, Erdoğan said the country, which has Europe’s largest land army, remains ready to place its military capabilities at the alliance’s disposal whenever needed. He noted that Türkiye is among the leading contributors to NATO operations, missions, and exercises in Kosovo, the Black Sea, the Baltic region, and other areas.
Erdoğan also said Türkiye hopes to secure NATO accreditation for its planned Center of Excellence for Countering Unmanned Systems, citing the country’s experience in successfully deploying unmanned aerial vehicles on real battlefields. “I believe this center will bolster our capability to counter threats posed, in particular, by aerial and maritime drones,” he added.
He called for the removal of restrictions on defense cooperation among NATO allies. “Restrictions between allies regarding defense cooperation, particularly in the defense industry, should be lifted,” Erdoğan stated. He stressed that even as European allies assume greater responsibility for the continent’s defense, they should avoid policies that could weaken NATO’s unity or transatlantic ties. “As European allies take on greater responsibility for the defense of the continent, we must refrain from measures that could undermine the alliance’s cohesion and transatlantic relations,” he said.
Türkiye and European Union countries have been at odds for years over the former’s admission to the body. Türkiye did not abandon its ambition to join the EU but has been candid on the bloc’s attempts to ignore Türkiye in terms of defense projects. Most recently, Türkiye sought to join the SAFE mechanism established to boost collaboration with non-EU countries for the defense of the continent, which came under the spotlight in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Although Türkiye boasts good relations with most EU states, some countries openly oppose Türkiye’s inclusion in defense plans, namely Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, which have been hostile to Ankara’s ambition to expand its clout across the region.
Highlighting Türkiye’s growing defense sector, Erdoğan said the country’s largest achievement in recent years has been its major defense industry advances. “Undoubtedly, our country’s greatest success lies in the breakthrough we have achieved in the defense industry,” he said, adding that Türkiye has become one of the world’s top 10 countries in terms of defense production and export capacity.
Türkiye’s defense industry flourished under the leadership of Erdoğan, who prioritizes defense investments both for counterterrorism efforts and against external threats. In this context, Türkiye’s locally made arsenal played a key role in reducing the power of terrorist groups, especially in cross-border operations. Nowadays, Türkiye seeks a bloodless end to decades of violence perpetrated by the PKK, which agreed to lay down arms last year. Over the past two years, Türkiye, which was rocked by brutal attacks by the PKK, especially in the 1990s, has not witnessed any substantial acts of terrorism by the PKK.
With Steel Dome, Türkiye, which lies in close proximity to conflict-ridden countries, aims to strengthen its defenses through an integrated system. Erdoğan has earlier highlighted that Israel’s expansionism across the region may target Türkiye too in the future if the Netanyahu administration is not pressed to stop its genocidal campaign in the Palestinian territories and attacks on other countries, including Türkiye’s southern neighbor, Syria.
Trump’s complaints
A few hours before Erdoğan’s speech, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized NATO as he held a joint news conference with the bloc’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte.
“I am not happy with NATO over Greenland and Iran. We are treated unfairly in NATO; we pay disproportionately,” he said. Trump aimed at NATO allies who failed to back his campaign against Iran and insisted he still wanted Greenland, calling European resistance to his stance a “big problem.”
“I’m very upset with NATO … because of what they did with Greenland, and … because of the fact that they didn’t want to help us with the No.1 state sponsor of terror, that’s Iran,” he said. Trump singled out Spain for particular criticism, calling it a “terrible partner in NATO.” “Spain is a wasted cause. We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore,” he said, dragging up a bitter row that also touches on Madrid’s defense spending, urging his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to “cut it off.” And he raked up more sensitive territory by reiterating his desire for NATO member Denmark’s territory of Greenland. “Greenland is a big problem for us,” he told reporters, saying it was “very important for the United States, but it’s not important for Denmark.” “We need it for the protection of the world, not just the United States.. It doesn’t help Denmark, but it helps us.” Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a terse response to Trump’s remarks a day earlier, saying: “Greenland is, of course, not for sale.” With NATO keen to focus the U.S. leader’s attention on its surging defense budgets, stalled efforts to halt the Ukraine war were also back on the agenda, with Trump saying he believed both sides wanted to end the fighting. “I think they both want to make a deal,” said Trump, who will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later on Wednesday. With negotiations at an impasse, Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin before flying to Türkiye and was to “follow up” with him after meeting Zelenskyy, a U.S. official said. Europe and Canada are set to pledge to keep military support flowing to Ukraine to the tune of 70 billion euros ($80 billion) a year in both 2026 and 2027. Trump was also scheduled to hold talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as he seeks to rebuild the country’s international image as it emerges from years of Civil War. The meeting comes a day after the Syrian leader hosted French President Emmanuel Macron for a landmark state visit that was overshadowed by twin bomb attacks that wounded 18 in the capital, Damascus. Although Trump still appears rankled over restrictions some allies put on U.S. forces using bases at the start of the Iran conflict, he brought welcome news for Erdoğan, saying he would consider selling Türkiye F-35 fighter jets and would roll back sanctions.
“I don’t want to deal (with Iranians); they’re sick people,” Trump said about the war with Iran after the cease-fire between the two countries was violated overnight with U.S. strikes in Iran. Trump had nothing but good words for Türkiye, especially for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “I like President Erdoğan, he rolled out the red carpet for me. Türkiye is very strong, they’ve got the best (military) equipment,” he said.
On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Erdoğan said: “We will continue supporting Ukraine while steering Russia toward peace.”
“While supporting Ukraine, we are also making use of our communication channels to encourage Russia toward peace,” he said. The Turkish president also endorsed Trump’s efforts to end the conflict. “We share Mr. Trump’s vision for peace in the Ukraine war and express our support for the initiative addressing Ukraine’s priority needs,” Erdoğan said.
The president also commented on developments in the Middle East. “I appreciate President Trump’s stand on the resolution of the U.S.-Iran conflict,” he said. “I would also like to state that it is incumbent upon all of us to ensure calm, particularly in Gaza and Lebanon.”
“The two-state solution (between Palestine and Israel) is key for lasting peace in the Middle East,” he also stated. Erdoğan also urged NATO allies to stand in “full solidarity” against terrorism.
The Turkish president also welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s “firm stance” for resolving tensions involving Iran.
“I appreciate the resolute stance supported by my friend Mr. Trump, which has helped put the resolution of the Iran crisis on the right track, despite attempts at sabotage,” Erdoğan said.
Türkiye stands ready to contribute to efforts to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz, he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to portray Türkiye as a new threat as part of “cheap politics” aimed at gaining an electoral advantage, Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said Friday, warning that Israel’s increasingly aggressive threat rhetoric poses serious risks to regional and global stability.
The directorate strongly rejected remarks by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office concerning President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, describing them as an “impertinent rant” devoid of historical facts and political seriousness and another sign of the desperation of an administration seeking to evade accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
It said the “cheap politics” pursued by Netanyahu and his associates, which it said was also designed to secure an advantage in elections, has no resonance in Israeli society, the region, the international community or Türkiye.
The directorate said the remarks by an Israeli government facing genocide accusations before international justice mechanisms were a telling demonstration of how deeply Türkiye’s voice and Erdoğan’s refusal to remain silent in the face of injustice have unsettled the Netanyahu administration.
It also warned that Israel’s election campaign has increasingly fallen under the influence of irresponsible security-driven populism and an intensifying politics of threats.
“The Netanyahu government’s effort to construct Türkiye as a new threat figure is also part of this cheap politics,” the directorate said.
It warned that pursuing a politics of threats and escalating tensions for the sake of domestic political competition carries serious risks not only for Israeli society but also for regional and global peace and stability.
Türkiye will continue, as it has in the past, to stand against oppressors and alongside the oppressed and firmly defend peace, justice and stability in the region regardless of the cost, the directorate said.
Ahead of Israel’s Oct. 27 elections, Netanyahu’s Likud party has intensified its campaign rhetoric targeting Türkiye and President Erdoğan.
A new Likud billboard in Tel Aviv features Erdoğan alongside Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani under the message, “They want Netanyahu to lose. Don’t let them win.” The campaign comes amid increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Türkiye and Erdoğan from Israeli politicians in the run-up to the vote.
The Greek Cypriot side of the divided island of Cyprus sent a letter of complaint to the United Nations in a bid to stop the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) from establishing an energy lifeline amid heavy sanctions. Maria Michael, the U.N. representative of the Greek Cypriot administration, urged the U.N. to intervene and stop what she called an “illegal” project.
The TRNC largely relies on Türkiye for connections to the outside world as Ankara is among the few recognizing the state, and Türkiye has been a steadfast supporter of the rights of Turkish Cypriots on the island, where Greek Cypriots frequently ignore their maritime rights in particular. Following a much-needed water pipeline, Türkiye is now working on a natural gas pipeline between the two countries, to the chagrin of the Greek Cypriot administration, which has angered Ankara in the past by violating Turkish Cypriot maritime borders.
Michael’s letter, quoted by Greek Cypriot media, was addressed to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who visited the island last month to revive stalled talks between Turkish and Greek Cypriots over the future status of Cyprus. The TRNC maintains a stance advocating for a sovereign state for Turkish Cypriots with equal rights to Greek Cypriots, while Greek Cypriots favor a bi-communal federal administration on the island. The TRNC signed a memorandum of understanding on July 10 with Türkiye for an undersea natural gas pipeline. Michael described this in her letter as “null and void” and “illegal,” stating that the parties had not sought the consent of the Greek Cypriot administration.
The planned pipeline would stretch 101 kilometers (63 miles), including 97 kilometers offshore and 4 kilometers onshore, connecting Anamur on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast with Teknecik in the TRNC. The project envisages two 22-inch pipelines designed to operate in both directions, allowing natural gas to flow from Türkiye to the TRNC while also enabling any future gas production from the island to be transported to Türkiye and potentially onward to Europe.
Türkiye’s Justice Ministry has requested that Interpol red notices be issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli official Afek Moskovitch over alleged genocide charges linked to an attack on activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said Friday.
Gürlek said arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Moskovitch were issued on July 14, 2026, as part of proceedings before Istanbul’s 11th High Criminal Court. The Justice Ministry subsequently asked the Interior Ministry to seek red notices for the two men to facilitate their international location and arrest, he said, adding that the relevant documents had been forwarded to the Foreign Ministry.
The case concerns an attack in international waters on activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, which had set sail to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Thirty-five defendants, including Netanyahu and Moskovitch, are being prosecuted in the case, Gürlek noted.
Turkish authorities accuse the two men of crimes against humanity, genocide, aggravated deprivation of liberty, intentional injury, torture, property damage, aggravated robbery and hijacking of transportation vehicles in connection with the armed intervention against the flotilla and the detention of activists.
Gürlek said Türkiye would continue pursuing legal action over alleged crimes committed in Gaza and rejected what he described as attempts to shield Israeli officials from accountability.
“We will resolutely use all the means available under national and international law,” the minister said.
He added that Türkiye, under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, would continue supporting Palestinians and pursue steps aimed at holding those accused of crimes against humanity legally accountable.
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and five other countries on Friday categorically rejected Israel’s unlawful E1 settlement plan, warning that it threatens the viability of an independent Palestinian state and calling for international measures and sanctions against those responsible for illegal settlement activity.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Türkiye, the UAE, Indonesia, Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jordan condemned Israel’s continued illegal settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the E1 plan and related settlement activity east of occupied East Jerusalem.
The ministers also reiterated their condemnation of violations and violence committed by settlers against Palestinians and their property with the support of Israeli occupation authorities.
They stressed that such actions cannot extinguish the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and constitute violations of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, while posing a serious threat to regional and international peace and security.
The ministers warned that the E1 plan represents a dangerous escalation by further advancing settlement expansion and annexation and undermining the geographical contiguity of the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly between the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
They said the plan consequently threatens the establishment and viability of an independent and geographically contiguous Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The statement said the Israeli violations directly challenge international efforts to achieve peace, particularly U.S. President Donald Trump’s Comprehensive Plan and mechanisms established for its implementation, including the Board of Peace, which explicitly reject annexation and forced displacement.
The ministers said the settlement push also runs counter to Trump’s strong commitment not to allow the annexation of the West Bank and threatens efforts to establish stability and bring the conflict to an end.
They reaffirmed that a two-state solution in accordance with international law and relevant U.N. resolutions remains the only viable path toward a just, comprehensive and lasting peace.
The ministers warned that attempts to undermine the two-state solution risk further escalating tensions, threatening regional and international peace and security and damaging prospects for lasting peace and stability in the region.
They voiced support for efforts to hold entities and individuals responsible for illegal settlement activity, including the E1 plan, accountable through appropriate international measures and sanctions.
The ministers also called for an end to any support or financing that contributes to the establishment, expansion or entrenchment of illegal settlements, warning that a lack of accountability enables further violations and weakens prospects for a just and comprehensive peace.
They called for immediate action to halt the E1 settlement plan, revoke all related measures and end settlement activity and other practices aimed at altering the geographical and demographic character of the occupied Palestinian territories.
The ministers further urged the U.N. Security Council, all states and relevant international actors to fulfill their obligations under international law and take urgent and effective measures to stop illegal settlement expansion, protect the Palestinian people and safeguard their inalienable rights, including the right to self-determination.
They also called for action toward the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with international law and relevant U.N. resolutions.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is being relentlessly targeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government because of his uncompromising stance against Israel’s genocide, massacres and crimes against humanity, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesman Ömer Çelik said Friday.
Çelik, who also serves as the deputy chair of Türkiye’s ruling party, was responding to a statement by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office targeting Erdoğan.
In a post on social media, Çelik said the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office had used expressions about Erdoğan that should instead be used to describe Netanyahu.
“The reason the Netanyahu network targets our president day and night is that our president, on behalf of humanity, maintains an uncompromising stance against all the massacres and lies of this genocide and massacre network,” Çelik said.
He sharply criticized Netanyahu’s record, saying genocide, massacres, lies, killings and crimes against humanity have become the Israeli prime minister’s “identity card.”
Türkiye has emerged as one of the strongest critics of Israel’s war on Gaza, with Erdoğan repeatedly condemning Netanyahu’s government over the killing of Palestinians and calling for international accountability.
Türkiye’s Defense Ministry has mapped 172 Turkish military cemeteries and memorials across 48 countries as part of a yearlong project documenting the legacy of Turkish soldiers and officials who died far from home.
The “Turkish Military Cemeteries and Memorials Abroad Map,” prepared by the ministry’s General Directorate of Mapping, brings together locations stretching across several continents and has been made available online through the directorate’s website.
Lt. Col. Fatih Kalle, who coordinated the project, said researchers worked with the Foreign Ministry and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) to collect data before consulting several academic and military institutions to verify its historical accuracy.
Kalle said the map could be expanded as previously undocumented burial sites are identified, noting that historical accounts suggest additional graves may exist in villages and former battlefields.
Researchers also sought to accurately depict the uniforms, weapons, military equipment and other historical elements from the periods represented on the map.
Illustrations include Turkish soldiers serving in areas such as Yemen and India, as well as Ottoman-era ships and military aircraft. Aircraft associated with Turkish personnel buried at Brookwood Cemetery in Britain were depicted with their historical tail numbers, Kalle said.
The project also commemorates diplomats, military personnel, security officers and civilian officials who died while serving at Turkish missions abroad, including those who were eventually buried in Türkiye.
The map further depicts the Trans-Siberian Railway to commemorate Ottoman soldiers held along the route during World War I.
Images of the Refah and TCG Kocatepe vessels were also included in memory of personnel who died at sea and have no individual graves, according to Kalle.
Officials said the project could be updated as research identifies additional Turkish military cemeteries and memorials around the world.
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