President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on July 8 that the NATO summit in Ankara had been completed successfully, describing the gathering as a historic meeting that would help shape the alliance’s future at a time of growing Euro-Atlantic security challenges.
“We have just successfully completed the NATO summit, which we organized in our country after 22 years and in Ankara for the first time,” Erdoğan said, speaking after the summit.
“At a time when Euro-Atlantic security is being tested, this historic summit we hosted was held in a manner that will guide our common future,” he added.
Erdoğan said the Ankara summit had laid the foundations for a stronger NATO in which European allies would assume more responsibility and the alliance’s military capacity would be reinforced through fair burden-sharing.
Erdoğan thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for attending the summit and said Trump had underlined the importance of Türkiye’s hosting.
He also said all allies had attended the summit at the level of leaders, calling this a sign of confidence in Türkiye and its diplomacy.
The president also highlighted Türkiye’s defense industry gains, saying Ankara is among the few allies that produce their own fighter aircraft, tanks, ships and air defense systems.
He said Türkiye ranks among the leading countries in unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned naval platforms and warships.
Erdoğan called for remaining restrictions on defense industry trade among allies to be removed without delay, saying this point was also reflected in the summit declaration.
“NATO should not be an alliance of countries dependent on each other, but an alliance of allies that strengthen each other,” he said.
On EU defense efforts, Erdoğan said initiatives in this field should complement NATO and avoid unnecessary duplication, adding that non-EU allies such as Türkiye should be fully included.
On Ukraine, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue to support dialogue and diplomacy to end the war.
“There is no loser in a just peace,” he said.
Erdoğan also said Türkiye welcomed what he called the Islamabad consensus on regional tensions, while warning that the Middle East could not afford a new escalation or conflict.
He criticized continuing Israeli attacks in Gaza and Lebanon, saying occupation and violence were continuing despite hopes for peace.
In response to questions on the F-35 issue, Erdoğan rejected remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Türkiye’s possible acquisition of the fighter jets.
“It is clear what waters Netanyahu swims in. Mitsotakis should not have made such a mistake,” Erdoğan said.
He said Türkiye had not questioned Greece’s own defense purchases and had the right both to produce and acquire defense systems.
Asked about Trump’s position on the F-35 issue, Erdoğan said the U.S. president had shown a positive approach toward Türkiye.
“When the delivery of the F-35s to Türkiye takes place, the whole world will say, ‘The United States kept its promise,’” Erdoğan said.
He also said he had discussed the engine issue for Türkiye’s KAAN fighter jet with Trump and that the U.S. president had shown a positive attitude.
