Speaking at the opening of the official NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that Türkiye remains one of the Alliance’s leading contributors to NATO operations, missions, and military exercises.
In his address, Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye, as the country with the largest army in Europe, stands ready to place its capabilities at NATO’s disposal whenever needed.
“As the country with the largest army in Europe, we strive to put our capabilities at the service of the Alliance whenever necessary,” Erdoğan said.
He also highlighted Kosovo as one of the locations where Türkiye continues to support NATO’s mission.
“In Kosovo, the Black Sea, the Baltic region, and other geographical areas, we are among the leading allies contributing to the Alliance’s operations, missions, and exercises,” the Turkish president stated.
Erdoğan also announced that Türkiye has allocated an additional $24 billion to strengthen its air and missile defense capabilities.
During his speech, he addressed the war in Ukraine, the crisis involving Iran, security challenges in the Middle East, and stressed the importance of full solidarity among NATO allies in combating all forms of terrorism.
He concluded by expressing hope that the NATO Summit in Ankara would deliver successful outcomes for the Alliance.
