Politics
Türkiye delivers 360 tons of aid to displaced in Lebanon
Türkiye’s humanitarian assistance to Lebanon will continue, Turkish and Lebanese officials said Monday as displacement worsens due to Israeli attacks.
The remarks came during a ceremony to deliver 360 tons of aid at Beirut port, attended by Lebanese and Turkish officials, including Samir Hadara, a representative of Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri; Development Minister Fadi Makki; Public Works Minister Fayez Rasamny; and Health Committee head Bilal Abdullah.
Also attending were Secretary-General of the Higher Relief Commission Bassam Nabulsi, Turkish Ambassador to Lebanon Murat Lütem, and the head of the Turkish Charity Stone Association (Sadaka Tasi), Kemal Özdal.
“Turkish support comes at a crucial time and reflects genuine solidarity with Lebanon in facing current challenges,” Makki said during the ceremony.
“This support is not limited to the humanitarian aspect but also includes a political stance supporting Lebanon in condemning the Israeli attacks,” he added.
On the Turkish aid, Makki said it includes “vital supplies, particularly tents, to help ensure the resilience of residents in villages along the southern border.”
He expressed hope “that these efforts, alongside support from friendly countries, will help displaced people return to their villages with dignity.”
More than 1 million people have been displaced in Lebanon due to the Israeli attacks, while some have begun returning home after a ceasefire took effect amid widespread destruction.
Worsening conditions
The Turkish ambassador highlighted the deep friendship between the Lebanese and Turkish peoples.
“Türkiye will always stand by Lebanon and its friendly people,” Lütem told Anadolu Agency (AA). “Türkiye has consistently stood by Lebanon through its official institutions and non-governmental organizations.
“Israeli attacks since 2024 have caused significant suffering and large-scale displacement, and Türkiye has since provided more than 1,700 tons of humanitarian aid,” he added.
The diplomat said the assistance reflects “the generosity and solidarity of the Turkish people.”
On the current shipment, Lütem said it consists of three batches, with the first arriving in early April, the second delivered Monday, and a third expected soon.
“More than 1 million Lebanese have been displaced from their homes, representing about one-fifth of the population, amid continued violations of the ceasefire, making the need for aid extremely urgent.”
Fair distribution
Health Committee head Bilal Abdullah said Turkish support “is not new, but comes within a policy based on reason, wisdom, and solidarity,” praising the continuity of aid since 2024.
“These efforts have left a significant impact on the conscience of the Lebanese people,” he told Anadolu, expressing gratitude to Türkiye and its institutions.
“We hope to repay Türkiye-its leadership and people-under better and happier circumstances than those Lebanon is experiencing today,” he added.
He said aid distribution is carried out “through a central mechanism via governors, taking into account the number of displaced in each area to ensure fairness.”
Kemal Özdal, head of the Turkish Charity Stone Association, said Türkiye continues to support Lebanon during its difficult circumstances.
“Ties between peoples are not measured by words, but by sincere actions,” he said.
“Turkish civil society organizations stand by Lebanon based on a deep belief in shared human destiny,” he added, noting that about 1,000 tons of aid were sent to Lebanon in 2025 via a dedicated ship.
The new shipment consists of 38 containers worth more than $3 million, including beds, blankets, pillows, tents, ready-to-eat food, and clothing, he said.
Distribution will be coordinated with Lebanon’s Higher Relief Commission and carried out in cooperation with municipalities and civil society organizations to ensure it reaches beneficiaries, he added.
“The Turkish people will remain by the side of the Lebanese people, a partner in hope and support in times of hardship,” Özdal said.
The total weight of the shipment is approximately 360 tons, according to the Turkish Charity Stone Association.
This shipment comes as a continuation of previous efforts, as Turkish organizations had sent about 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Lebanon via a special ship during 2024, as part of an ongoing response to increasing humanitarian needs.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, though Israeli forces continue daily violations, causing casualties and destruction.
Since March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed 2,294 people, wounded 7,544, and displaced more than 1 million, according to official figures.
The Crescent and Star compound, dubbed by the media as “Türkiye’s Pentagon,” was partially opened on the occasion of the NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara.
On Tuesday, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler hosted counterparts from NATO member states for a reception at the Star Section of the new headquarters, whose construction is still underway in other parts. The joint headquarters will bring together the land, air and naval force commands of the army, which were scattered in the past across the capital, although in close proximity.
“With its design inspired by the crescent and the star in Türkiye’s national flag, the Ay Yıldız Complex brings our entire defense and military command under one roof,” Güler said in his address at the reception, using the Turkish name of the complex.
“This new headquarters complex will be fully operational soon, and it will take its place among the largest military headquarters in the world. By bringing the General Staff and the Single Service Command headquarters together, we aim to increase our joint operation capability to the highest level and to gain maximum pace and efficiency through speeding up bureaucratic processes.
The security of the headquarters will be provided with top-level air and land defense measures within the context of the “Steel Dome” strategy and cutting-edge electronic safety systems,” he said.
Güler stated that the complex was equipped with smart and sustainable construction technologies to ensure uninterrupted communication, command and control under both crisis and conflict circumstances.
“Being more than just a modern headquarters facility, it stands as a physical symbol of Türkiye’s consolidated, agile and forward-looking defense posture. I am confident that this brand-new headquarters will be a place where the work will be carried out for the defense and security of both our country and the alliance as a whole,” the minister stated.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis avoided direct comment on the reinstatement of F-35 fighter jet sales to Türkiye by the U.S. but urged NATO to be sensitive to an “open threat of war.”
He was speaking on Wednesday right outside the Turkish president’s front door as he joined other leaders arriving for a key NATO summit. One day earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump, after a warm welcome from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, signaled that they would consider selling jets to Türkiye, seven years after a ban was imposed on the country. Trump has also pledged to lift the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions on Türkiye as he heaped praise on Erdoğan.
Mitsotakis, who held several talks in the past with Erdoğan for rapprochement between the two former foes, said the issue could be resolved through “good neighborly ties and cooperation” and expressed pleasure at visiting Ankara, adding that he favored improving relations between Türkiye and Greece. Yet, he also stated, “Sensitivities of all NATO allies should be taken into consideration against plans of Türkiye to expand its territorial waters.”
Ankara and Athens seek to improve relations after years of hostilities, but maritime jurisdictions remain a thorny issue. The countries, which came close to an all-out war in the 1990s over the Aegean Sea, remain vigilant, with Türkiye concentrating on developing a domestic defense industry. Greece relies on foreign partners to boost its defenses. Embracing the doctrine of being effective and powerful at sea, as its predecessor, the Ottomans, were, Türkiye in the past two decades has developed an independent defense industry capable of operating in open waters, thereby shifting geopolitical balances in its favor. The navy plays a critical role in ensuring the security of maritime trade routes in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, promoting regional stability.
Defense Minister Yaşar Güler hosted his Romanian and Bulgarian counterparts on Wednesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, and the three countries signed a new memorandum for amending the regulations to expand their joint Black Sea mission. The new memorandum involves missions to protect critical infrastructure as well.
The three countries are littoral to the Black Sea, which has become a minefield in both senses of the word after the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in 2022. Stray naval mines have threatened maritime security for the countries, while the risk later escalated into stray drones and drone attacks by both sides of the conflict targeting vessels, sometimes far from their shores.
The Turkish-Romanian-Bulgarian task force has neutralized more than 150 mines floating in the Black Sea, and most of the work was done by Türkiye, whose maritime trade was threatened by the conflict. The new memorandum means the expansion of the mission to protect energy infrastructure, telecoms and undersea pipelines operated or owned by the three countries. All three have gas exploration or production projects in the Black Sea. Romania looks to become the European Union’s largest gas producer through its Neptun Deep offshore gas project.
The Black Sea is home to Türkiye’s largest-ever natural gas reserve, which the country has been gradually discovering since 2020. The Sakarya gas field is estimated to contain 710 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas. It will meet approximately 30% of the nation’s annual gas needs once the production reaches total capacity. Last year, Türkiye announced a separate 75 bcm gas discovery in the Black Sea.
Güler met separately with Romanian Defense Minister Radu-Dinel Miruta and Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov in Ankara, and the three ministers later attended a working lunch with NATO defense ministers.
Also on Wednesday, Romania’s Foreign Minister Oana Toiu praised the strong partnership with Türkiye in safeguarding security in the Black Sea.
The work carried out together by Romania, Bulgaria, Türkiye and Ukraine has, for example, made it possible to ensure the flow of grain in recent years, she told Anadolu Agency (AA) in an interview. She also noted the strong participation of Turkish companies in industrial infrastructure investment at the 2025 NATO Industry Forum held in Romania. Referring to her meetings with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, she said they consistently discuss Türkiye’s European perspective.
“The future we envision for Türkiye is focused on its European path,” she said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held closed-door talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on the margins of the NATO summit held at the Presidential Complex on Wednesday.
No statements were made after the meeting that preceded an expected joint declaration at the end of the summit.
Macron, spotted jogging near his hotel on Wednesday morning before the summit began, sported sunglasses as he met Erdoğan, apparently due to an eye condition that also surfaced during his participation in the World Economic Forum in January. The French leader flew into Türkiye from neighboring Syria, where he signed key deals. Twin bomb attacks near his hotel did not disrupt the trip, and Macron joined other leaders in Ankara soon.
France is a founding member of NATO, though it remained detached from the military command of the alliance for decades. In 2019, Macron warned about the “brain death” of NATO, citing declining commitment by the main contributor, the United States. Back then, his remarks, uttered in an interview, were treated with skepticism by other members, but time proved Macron almost right as U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his complaints about what he termed a lack of contribution to the alliance by Europe, threatening to further distance his country from the bloc.
The publication of a joint declaration by NATO leaders at the end of the summit’s second day in Ankara has renewed attention on Türkiye’s expanding role in the alliance, with security experts pointing to Türkiye’s growing strategic weight within the alliance amid evolving internal and external threats.
“We have sharp differences across the Atlantic, there are two threats; one is external and the other is internal.” Edward P Joseph, a foreign policy lecturer and analyst at Johns Hopkins University, told Daily Sabah.
Türkiye hosted the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Ankara on July 7-8, with leaders issuing a final declaration reaffirming their “unwavering commitment” to Article 5, the alliance’s collective defense clause, and to the transatlantic bond.
“Russia represents a threat. Iran also, we have to say, represents a threat,” Joseph said.
“An attack against one ally is an attack against all allies,” the declaration said, adding that NATO’s unity, solidarity and collective strength remain the foundation of peace, security and prosperity for 1 billion citizens across the alliance’s free and democratic nations.
The declaration reaffirmed allies’ “unwavering” support for Ukraine, saying the country continues to contribute to transatlantic security while defending its freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It said European allies and Canada now provide the bulk of security assistance to Ukraine through bilateral and multilateral channels, stressing that such support must remain fair, predictable and sustainable over the long term. Allies pledged 70 billion euros (about $80 billion) in military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine in 2026 and reaffirmed sovereign commitments to maintain at least the same level of support in 2027.
Addressing broader security challenges, the declaration said NATO would continue adapting to strategic competition, widespread instability, hybrid threats and recurring crises. It reiterated that Iran “must never develop a nuclear weapon” and called on Tehran to fully respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
“We also have ambivalence in the United States, this distancing from NATO. President Trump is complaining,” he said hoping that this summit is a reminder to the U.S. leader and all allies of how valuable NATO is.
“The alliance is valuable to Türkiye and it’s valuable to all 32,” he added.
The U.S. president previously criticized the financial burden Washington bears within NATO, arguing that the alliance’s cost-sharing remains unequal.
In a social media post, Trump shared a graphic comparing NATO defense spending by member states and said it was “ridiculous” for the United States to continue what he described as a one-sided relationship. “They were not there for us,” he wrote.
Türkiye’s key role
Turning to Türkiye’s key role in the alliance and its hosting the summit this year, Joseph underlined that the summit has elevated Türkiye’s role and it’s been like a showcase of the country because of the second-largest army in the alliance, and so that’s been very significant.
Türkiye currently contributes nearly 3,000 personnel, along with various weapons, vehicles and military platforms, to ongoing NATO missions, operations and initiatives.
This year, Türkiye joined NATO’s Steadfast Dart exercise in Germany from Feb. 12-24, held to improve the operational readiness of the Allied Reaction Force. The country contributed naval, land and air elements, including the Anadolu Task Group, and deployed a joint force of more than 2,000 personnel to Germany.
“And the summit itself, today is the summit so I want to wait and see what the outcome is. But the dynamics, everything I see and witness having engaged with some of the key officials, I think the dynamics are more positive than people anticipated,” he said.
Since joining NATO, Türkiye has steadily expanded its contributions to the alliance’s missions and operations, including in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Libya and Iraq. Turkish officials say the country has preserved and developed Cold War-era military capabilities while also fighting terrorism and responding to regional instability.
U.S. President Donald Trump thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday for successfully hosting the NATO summit.
Trump hailed Erdoğan as “a great leader” and described the two-day summit in the capital, Ankara, as “very successful.”
“We just concluded a very successful NATO summit here in Türkiye,” Trump said at a news conference as the two-day NATO summit ended in the Turkish capital.
Trump thanked Erdoğan for hosting the summit.
“I want to thank President Erdoğan, who’s really a great man. He’s a great leader. He’s a friend of mine, been a friend of mine for a long time. He’s a strong person, a very strong personality, and that’s why he runs such a successful and good country,” he added.
The summit in Ankara brought together leaders of the 32-member alliance as well as key partners to discuss Europe’s defense capacity, the alliance’s defense spending targets, military modernization, and continued support for Ukraine.
Trump said during the summit that they discussed the target of spending 5% of GDP on defense.
“In the working session this morning, we discussed the progress other members are making toward the 5% target … some have truly answered the call and others are making big changes, and will be answering the call … I urge all nations to accelerate their plans to get to the benchmark as quickly as possible,” he added.
Trump said there was “tremendous unity” in the summit.
“And I urge all nations to accelerate their plans to get the benchmark as quickly as possible. The benchmark is going to be that 5% number; that’s the number it should have been for years,” he added.
Invitation from AK Party Istanbul Youth Branch to the Hagia Sophia march
Turkish military partially debuts new HQ during NATO summit
BREAKING NEWS… CAATSA statement from the Ministry of National Defense: Our expectation is the removal of sanctions
Invitation from AK Party Istanbul Youth Branch to the Hagia Sophia march
Turkish military partially debuts new HQ during NATO summit
BREAKING NEWS… CAATSA statement from the Ministry of National Defense: Our expectation is the removal of sanctions
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