Erdogan Demands Turkey's Inclusion in All European Defense Structures

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Monday that Turkey must be included in all European defense structures and that defense trade restrictions between NATO member states must be lifted. The statement comes ahead of the NATO summit expected in Ankara in July.

Addressing delegates from the parliaments of all 32 NATO member countries in Istanbul, Erdogan said Turkey's contribution to European security is often overlooked and expressed a desire to participate in all defense and security initiatives on the continent.

Specifically, he referred to Turkey's access to the European Union's "Security Action for Europe" (SAFE) financial instrument, which is allocated 150 billion euros. Although Turkey technically meets the criteria, membership requires the consent of all 27 EU member states, which Greece has threatened to block.

Erdogan also called on NATO to remove all obstacles to defense trade among allies, emphasizing the need for a balanced and fair burden-sharing.

Turkey has the second-largest army in NATO after the United States and a growing defense industry, but it has suffered from U.S. sanctions imposed after Ankara purchased the Russian S-400 missile defense system. The U.S. also excluded Turkey from the F-35 program, straining relations.

While Washington has expressed a desire to resolve the dispute, lifting the CAATSA sanctions requires congressional approval, and observers say it is unlikely to be resolved before the summit. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has promised Erdogan something that will make him "very happy" – analysts suggest it likely involves the delivery of dozens of U.S.-made F110 engines for Turkey's indigenous KAAN fighter jets, which have been blocked by CAATSA sanctions.