UK, Türkiye set to sign defence pact on NATO summit sidelines

The United Kingdom and Türkiye are preparing to sign a security and defence partnership agreement on the sidelines of the NATO summit, according to people familiar with the matter.

The signing is expected to take place on July 8, when outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions.

The proposed pact предусматривает expanded cooperation between the two NATO allies in areas including cyber threats, counter-terrorism and the defence industry, the people said.

The United Kingdom and Türkiye already maintain close ties within NATO, underpinned in part by a British agreement to supply Türkiye with 20 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.

The initiative comes at a time when the United States is reassessing its long-term commitments to European security, with Türkiye increasingly viewed as a potential partner capable of filling strategic gaps. British officials also see Ankara as wielding growing influence over U.S. foreign policy, at a time when European governments have faced challenges in maintaining alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump praised Türkiye as a “great ally” during a meeting with Erdoğan on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara. He also said the United States would lift CAATSA defence sanctions on Türkiye, potentially enabling Ankara to move forward with the purchase of F-35 fighter jets, although the details of such an arrangement remain unclear.

By Tamilla Hasanova