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AzerNEWS Staff

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As part of his engagements in Ankara, Rutte first visited ASELSAN, where he highlighted Türkiye’s advances in the defense industry. Emphasizing the importance of accelerating production while also encouraging innovation in the defense sector, Rutte said:

“This is one of NATO’s top priorities. It will also be one of the main agenda items at the NATO summit to be held in Ankara in July.”

Stressing the importance of increasing production in the defense industry, Rutte added:

“Because we need to do better and do more. We can learn a great deal from what Türkiye has achieved in this area. This is necessary because we live in a dangerous world.”

He noted that strong defense systems are essential for security, stating:

“We need the best capabilities and must integrate the latest technologies into our operations.”

Declaring that “Türkiye has undergone a defense industry revolution,” Rutte pointed out that ASELSAN has been at the forefront of this transformation. Recalling that NATO had successfully intercepted ballistic munitions launched from Iran that entered Turkish airspace, Rutte said:

“NATO is prepared against such threats and will always do what is necessary to defend Türkiye and all its allies.”

Highlighting the development of “groundbreaking” technologies at ASELSAN, Rutte continued:

“I see this as a defense industry hub across Türkiye. This is how you are delivering many of these capabilities, and this is exactly what we need. We also need a defense industry across Europe and North America—literally stretching from Alaska to Ankara. We must continue to produce together, innovate together, and procure from one another.”

Haluk Görgün, head of Türkiye’s Presidency of Defense Industries, said they briefed Rutte on the country’s defense industry infrastructure. He also noted that ASELSAN CEO Ahmet Akyol provided a detailed presentation on the company’s investments. Görgün concluded:

“We specifically mentioned the visit of our President on August 27, 2025, during which elements of the ‘Steel Dome’ were delivered and the investments were formally named. He was very impressed.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also held a phone call with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. During the conversation, which addressed bilateral relations and global developments, Erdoğan emphasized that relations between the two countries have gained positive momentum through recent high-level contacts.

Erdoğan stated that the ongoing war in the region has begun to weaken Europe as well, warning that unless a peace-oriented approach is adopted, the damage caused by the conflict process would become much greater.

President Erdoğan later received NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. The meeting addressed preparations for the NATO Leaders’ Summit in Ankara, key issues on the Alliance’s agenda, as well as regional and global developments.

Erdoğan stressed that the unstable environment in the region once again demonstrates the importance of cooperation and solidarity among NATO allies. He expressed expectations that decisions would be taken at the Ankara Summit to strengthen allied solidarity and ensure the Alliance’s constant preparedness against crises.

Noting that Türkiye continues to expand its capacity in the defense industry—particularly in air defense systems—Erdoğan said the country aims to further enhance cooperation with allied nations in this field.

He also underlined the indispensable importance of maintaining the transatlantic bond, adding that Türkiye expects the European pillar of the Alliance to assume greater responsibility. In this regard, he said excluding non-EU European allies from the EU’s defense initiatives would not serve the intended purpose.

Erdoğan further stated that Türkiye has positioned itself on the side of peace and diplomacy following the process that began with attacks on Iran. He added that Türkiye remains actively engaged in efforts to ensure that the Russia–Ukraine war concludes with peace, working to revive negotiations and initiate talks at the leadership level.

During the meeting, Erdoğan and Rutte comprehensively reviewed preparations for the NATO Ankara Summit.