NATO lauds Türkiye’s defence industry calls for closer ties with UK, Norway, EU

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has praised Türkiye’s defence industry, highlighting the importance of stronger ties with the UK, Norway, and the EU.

Speaking at the NATO Public Forum in The Hague, Rutte said, "Türkiye has a very big defense industrial base. Sometimes [we] forget what they have. I visited some of their companies, it's really impressive", Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media. 

He emphasised the need for closer collaboration, stating, "We have to make sure that the Turkish defense industrial base is as closely connected as possible to the UK, Norway and the European Union."

Rutte also cautioned against creating divisions within NATO over defense partnerships, warning, "Let’s not have these fences drawn up within NATO. It won't help." 

The comments come as leaders from NATO’s 32 member states convene in The Hague on June 24-25 for a crucial summit focused on boosting defense spending and discussing Ukraine’s potential membership.

By Naila Huseynova