Ankara: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a Security and Defense Partnership document between Trkiye and the UK during discussions at the NATO summit in Ankara. The meeting, held behind closed doors, took place on the final day of the two-day summit, amidst Starmer's preparations to leave office following his recent resignation announcement.

According to Anadolu Agency, Erdogan emphasized the significance of cooperation and dialogue between Trkiye and the UK. He highlighted that the two nations would continue to enhance their bilateral relations through future initiatives. Erdogan also pointed out the importance of NATO's role in collective security and the need to maintain the 'transatlantic bond' in light of recent global developments.

Erdogan further proposed that NATO allies, which are not part of the European Union, should be included in the EU's defense initiatives. Both Trkiye and the UK are NATO members, though not part of the EU. During the summit, the leaders signed the Security and Defense Partnership document between the Republic of Trkiye and the UK.

The summit in Ankara gathered leaders from the 32-member alliance and key partners to discuss topics such as Europe's defense capacity, NATO's defense spending targets, military modernization, and ongoing support for Ukraine. This event marked the second NATO summit hosted by Trkiye, following the 2004 Istanbul summit, and facilitated bilateral meetings on political, security, and economic cooperation between Trkiye and its allies.