Critical visit from NATO to Turkey: What is on the agenda?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will arrive in Ankara tomorrow as part of an official visit. Within the scope of the visit, he is scheduled to be received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and to hold meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler.

During the meetings, it is expected that emphasis will be placed on the fact that the deteriorating peace environment in Europe necessitates a stronger NATO structure, and that Turkey's expectations within NATO will be voiced at the highest level.

DEFENSE COOPERATION

The meetings will focus on removing obstacles to defense procurement among Allies in line with the decisions taken at NATO's 2023 Vilnius and 2024 Washington Summits, as well as demonstrating full solidarity in the fight against terrorism.

Turkey's discomfort with the exclusionary approach toward NATO allies that are not EU members will also be an important topic of the discussions. An exchange of views on the effects of this situation on NATO-EU relations is expected.

WILL VISIT TUSAŞ FACILITIES

Rutte is planned to pay a condolence visit to the TUSAŞ facilities in Kahramankazan following the attack carried out by the PKK on October 23, which resulted in 5 deaths and 22 injuries. During the visit, Rutte is also expected to receive information about TUSAŞ's contributions to the defense industry.

Rutte, who visited Turkey on April 24, 2024, before starting his term as NATO Secretary General, had met with President Erdoğan in Istanbul. After taking over the office from Jens Stoltenberg, he also met with Erdoğan at the European Political Community Summit held in Budapest in October.

Rutte, who was one of the first to call President Erdoğan to offer his condolences following the October 23 TUSAŞ attack, will deliver messages of both solidarity and cooperation during his first visit to Turkey as NATO Secretary General.

News Source: 12punto