Türkiye’s strategic importance underlined in UK’s defence blueprint

The United Kingdom has identified Türkiye as a critical NATO partner in its newly released National Security Strategy 2025, underscoring Ankara’s pivotal role in regional and alliance-wide security.

The policy paper, titled Security for the British People in a Dangerous World, was published on June 24 and highlights Türkiye’s strategic importance due to its geographical position and expanding defence cooperation with the UK, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

“At the crossroads between the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and Africa, Türkiye is imperative to UK security interests across Europe and on NATO’s flanks,” the document states. It further emphasizes the “strong military integration and defence industrial collaboration” between the two countries, reflecting an enhanced bilateral partnership within the broader NATO framework.

The strategy comes amid growing concerns in the West over an increasingly complex global security environment marked by authoritarian threats, hybrid warfare, and rapidly evolving geopolitical dynamics. In a notable shift, the UK government warns of the unprecedented possibility that the British homeland could face direct threats in a wartime context.

“For the first time in many years, we have to actively prepare for the possibility of the UK homeland coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario,” the paper asserts, calling for heightened preparedness and resilience across military, civil defence, and energy sectors.

Aligned with NATO’s priorities, the UK’s security strategy also emphasizes joint procurement, modernization of defence capabilities, and closer collaboration with key allies, among which Türkiye stands out due to its longstanding membership exceeding 70 years and its status as host to the alliance’s second-largest military force.

The document signals a clear recognition of Türkiye’s indispensable role in safeguarding NATO’s eastern flank and ensuring collective security in a turbulent global landscape, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to deepening strategic ties with Ankara.

By Vafa Guliyeva