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Belgian politician Malik Ben Achour said Türkiye has significantly reduced its external dependence in the defense industry and developed a high-quality, internationally recognized sector over the past decade.
Ben Achour, who previously served as a member of the Belgian Federal Parliament and Senate and currently holds a local government position in the city of Verviers, made the remarks during a visit to Türkiye aimed at examining potential defense industry cooperation opportunities.
“Türkiye was also heavily dependent years ago, but around 10 to 15 years ago it entered a major turning point and today has developed a highly qualified industry recognized internationally for its quality,” Ben Achour said in comments to Anadolu Agency.
Ben Achour said Europe needs to reduce its long-standing dependence on the United States and regain strategic autonomy following years of deindustrialization.
“In today’s world, we can no longer afford to accept dependencies,” he said, adding that Europeans have long assumed U.S. protection would last indefinitely.
He said the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the risks of external dependence, noting shortages of basic supplies such as masks and disinfectants.
Ben Achour said rebuilding industrial capacity in Europe is necessary to create stable employment and address structural unemployment, adding that the defense sector offers a key opportunity.
He described Türkiye as a promising partner for Europe in the defense field, citing its NATO membership and geographic proximity.
Ben Achour said he hopes cooperation with Türkiye, particularly with Belgium, can be realized through joint investments.
Ben Achour said Türkiye has made an “impressive strategic and technological leap” over the past 10 to 15 years.
He said his visit aimed to assess cooperation opportunities and cited a visit to a company producing explosive powder.
“There are not many NATO countries capable of doing this. Türkiye can do it thanks to its raw materials and has also developed the necessary skills and expertise,” he said, describing it as a concrete area for potential cooperation.
He also said preparations are underway for an economic mission to Türkiye in May and expressed hope that it would result in as many agreements as possible.
Ben Achour said Europeans want to use frozen Russian assets held by Belgium-based financial services company Euroclear to support Ukraine but warned that transferring the assets could leave Belgium vulnerable to potential Russian retaliation and risk the global financial system.
He also criticized the international community’s response to the situation in Gaza, saying Israel violates the ceasefire daily and that the ceasefire is imposed on only one side.
Ben Achour said rhetoric dehumanizing Palestinians has become increasingly normalized in Israeli politics and public discourse.
He said sanctions should eventually be imposed to end what he described as Israel’s impunity, warning that failure to do so could have serious global consequences.
Ben Achour said he has established a network of parliamentarians from different European countries focused on the Palestinian issue.
He said the aim is to bring these lawmakers together, provide expertise and equip them with information and technical capacity for public and parliamentary debates.
He said taking parliamentarians to Palestinian territories would allow them to witness conditions firsthand and strengthen public discussions in their home countries, adding that the ultimate goal is to help counter narratives promoted by the Israeli government.
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