NATO Chief Rutte Praises Türkiye’s Defense ‘Revolution’ During Ankara Visit

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akan Fidan met Mark Rutte in Ankara on Wednesday, as part of the NATO chief’s official visit to Türkiye, amid a broader focus on defense cooperation and regional security challenges.

According to diplomatic sources, the talks were held within the framework of ongoing engagement between Türkiye and the NATO alliance. Rutte is also scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan later during his visit.

Speaking separately in Istanbul, Rutte praised Türkiye’s rapidly advancing defense sector, describing it as a “defense industrial revolution” from which NATO allies could draw important lessons. His remarks came during a visit to Aselsan, one of the country’s leading defense firms.

Central to NATO’s security

Rutte emphasized that boosting defense production and innovation is now a top priority for the alliance, particularly as global security challenges intensify. He said these issues would be central at NATO’s upcoming summit in Ankara in July, stressing that increased military spending alone would not be sufficient without stronger industrial output.

He highlighted the need for greater production of key capabilities such as air defense systems, drones, ammunition, radar technologies and space-based systems. “We have to do better, we have to do more,” Rutte said, noting that NATO could “learn a lot” from Türkiye’s recent progress in these areas.

Describing the global security environment as increasingly volatile, Rutte pointed to a range of threats spanning multiple domains—from missile and drone attacks to cyber warfare. He referenced Russia’s war in Ukraine, China’s military expansion, and Iran’s regional activities as key sources of instability, adding that Türkiye is directly exposed to several of these risks.

Rutte also revealed that NATO had intercepted ballistic missiles heading toward Türkiye from Iran on four separate occasions, underscoring the alliance’s commitment to collective defense.

Arms exports across Europe

Highlighting Türkiye’s growing role in the defense industry, he noted that Turkish firms are expanding internationally, with exports and operations across Europe. He cited recent deals involving Aselsan, including the sale of advanced electronic warfare systems to Poland and operations in countries such as Albania and Romania.

Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Ankara, Aselsan has grown into one of Türkiye’s largest defense companies and ranks among the top 50 globally in its sector. The company reached a market value of $30 billion in January 2026, marking a significant milestone for the country’s defense industry.

Rutte concluded by stressing the importance of innovation and human capital, pointing to the relatively young workforce at Aselsan as a key driver of its success. He urged engineers and industry leaders to accelerate production and technological development to meet the alliance’s evolving security needs.

(Source: Anadolu Agency)