Defense Minister Yaşar Güler on April 9 urged European nations not to underestimate Ankara’s role in regional security, warning that keeping Türkiye outside emerging defense frameworks would jeopardize the continent’s own safety.
“Türkiye has taken an active role in every test the alliance has faced,” Güler said in remarks at a NATO-themed event in the capital Ankara.
He highlighted Türkiye's long record of assuming risks and producing tangible results in coalition operations, saying the country has evolved into “a factor that accepts risk, produces outcomes and contributes to the security of its allies.”
Güler said Türkiye's strategic position astride Europe and the Middle East, along with its military capabilities, make it indispensable to both NATO and wider efforts to stabilize volatile regions. He cautioned that European defense initiatives that overlook Ankara’s contributions could undermine collective security.
"We hope that at the [upcoming NATO] summit the European Union will abandon security approaches that leave out NATO allies, including our country, that are not members of the EU, and return to a position that supports NATO,” Güler said.
“Otherwise, we assess that this approach of the European Union will harm Europe’s security and resilience even more than the U.S. reducing its forces in Europe.”
Türkiye joined NATO in 1952 and, according to Güler, has since transformed from a peripheral member to a “central actor” that shapes decisions and helps secure vital fronts.
The minister said Türkiye expects NATO leaders to reaffirm commitment to Article 5, the alliance’s collective defense pledge, and to demonstrate progress on defense spending and capabilities. He also called for strengthening cooperative efforts and approving deterrence preparations.
His remarks come as NATO seeks to project unity facing a complex security environment marked by geopolitical rivalries and regional conflicts.
