NATO is actively adapting to a changing security landscape, and the United States has no intention of leaving the alliance, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler told Reuters ahead of next week’s crucial NATO Summit in Ankara.
Turkey is set to host 32 NATO leaders, alongside officials from the Gulf and Asia-Pacific regions, on July 7–8. The high-stakes gathering comes during a period of heightened internal tension regarding burden-sharing, defense spending, and US frustrations over allied commitment to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
In written responses to questions, Guler emphasized that the summit will center on alliance unity, evaluating increased allied defense expenditures, bolstering defense industry cooperation, and ramping up support for Ukraine. He also firmly advocated for Ankara’s inclusion in European defense frameworks.
“NATO continues to be an indispensable and fundamental platform for Euro-Atlantic security and defense. We do not view the current period as a crisis, but rather as a process of adaptation to an evolving security environment,” Guler stated.
Shifting Responsibilities and European Defense
Addressing concerns over Washington’s future commitment, Guler clarified that the US is not looking to withdraw from the alliance. Instead, the administration expects European allies and Canada to take greater responsibility for Europe’s security.
According to Guler, this shift must explicitly integrate Ankara into its overarching defense strategies.
“The US has no intention of pulling back from NATO, but it wants European allies and Canada to assume more ownership,” Guler noted, adding that Europe must consequently include Ankara in its defense plans and initiatives.
