NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte visited Türkiye on Wednesday (22 April) ahead of a key NATO summit in July, highlighting Ankara’s growing role in defence industry innovation and regional security cooperation.
Rutte met Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and visited defence firm Aselsan, praising Türkiye’s rapid “defence industrial revolution”.
In his speech at a defence industrial facility, Rutte underscored the pace of Türkiye’s defence sector development, stating the country has undergone a “defence industrial revolution” in recent years, with Aselsan “at the forefront” of this progress.
He urged continued acceleration, calling on the industry to “produce and innovate even more and faster,” while warning of an increasingly complex security environment ranging “from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, from outer space to the seabed,” including threats from missiles, drones and cyber attacks.
Key points:
- NATO to prioritise defence industrial output at July summit
- Talks included F-35 procurement, Gulf summit invitations and Strait of Hormuz security structure
- Regional risks cited: Russia, China, Iran and missile/drone threats
Aselsan, founded in 1975, is among the world’s top defence firms and reported major export expansion across Europe.
ℹ️ NATO, Daily Sabah
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