Ankara: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that Trkiye is one of NATO's largest military powers and plays a crucial role within the alliance and in its relations with the European Union.
According to Anadolu Agency, von der Leyen spoke at the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum in Ankara, where she participated in a panel discussion titled "The Capability Challenge: a NATO-EU Conversation" alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. During the discussion, she underscored the necessity for enhanced NATO-EU coordination, joint procurement, and the strengthening of Europe's defense industrial base amidst a shifting security landscape.
Von der Leyen pointed out that EU member states and NATO allies heavily rely on a unified set of forces that are deployable for NATO missions, EU operations, UN missions, or coalitions of willing partners. She stressed the essential nature of interoperability between forces and noted the current geopolitical environment demands a significant increase in defense investment. Trkiye, she highlighted, holds a key position within this framework.
"Trkiye is one of the largest armed forces within NATO, of very big importance, and has always played an important role in the alliance but also, of course, in our relationship with the European Union," she stated. She further mentioned the potential for enhanced cooperation between Trkiye and European defense initiatives, such as the EU's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument, which finances joint defense procurement.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte echoed the need for collaboration, stating that NATO and the EU have distinct roles but can enhance each other through cooperation. "NATO is about command and control capabilities and standards," Rutte remarked, highlighting the EU's pivotal role in defense investment, military mobility, societal resilience, and the development of the defense industrial base.
Rutte also advocated for Europe to become a more robust partner within NATO, emphasizing the need to reduce dependency on the United States. "We cannot continue as we did, being over-reliant on the United States; we need this much stronger Europe in a stronger NATO," he said.
He mentioned the increase in defense production in Europe, Canada, and the United States, with new factories and production lines being established. However, he noted that further expansion is necessary as Russia has mobilized its economy for war. Rutte commended Trkiye's defense industry structure as a model of a comprehensive national security approach.
"Let me just give one example. Trkiye, how you have organized your defense industry with the Turkish Defense Industry Secretariat directly reporting to the president, you have about 3000 defense industrial companies working closely together: small, medium-sized, the bigger ones, basically exporting all over NATO territory, and of course producing for Trkiye itself and also exporting outside NATO," Rutte explained. He added that other allies are studying this model for potential implementation in their countries.