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Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler said Friday that the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara will mark a historic turning point for the alliance, while sharply criticizing a recent agreement between France and the Greek Cypriot administration as "a violation of international law."
"We do not see the NATO Summit we will host in Ankara merely as a meeting of leaders," Guler told Turkish journalists in Brussels, where he attended the NATO Defense Ministers Meeting and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting ahead of the Ankara summit.
"We believe this summit will be an important turning point that will demonstrate NATO's determination to adapt to the changing security environment and will shape its future strategic direction," he noted.
Guler said the war between Iran, the U.S. and Israel, along with the resulting missile and drone threats, once again demonstrated how sensitive Eastern Mediterranean security remains.
He said Türkiye's additional measures for the security of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) serve not only the safety of Turkish Cypriots but the stability and security of the entire island.
The Turkish defense minister noted Türkiye's approach, as always, is aimed at preventing risks and supporting regional stability rather than escalating tensions.
Guler said actors responsible for generating security must avoid steps that deepen regional tensions and must prioritize dialogue, cooperation and a shared understanding of security.
"In this context, we are closely monitoring certain recent military cooperation initiatives in the Eastern Mediterranean and developments that could affect the regional security equation," he said.
"Finally, the agreement signed between France, which holds no guarantor status, and the Greek Cypriot administration is in fact an initiative without legitimacy, one that disrupts sensitive balances and violates international law," Guler added.
The Turkish minister said that given Ankara's military capacity, deterrence and regional position, no initiative or alliance targeting the rights and interests of Türkiye and the TRNC would have any chance of success.
He said efforts that turn certain actors into parties to conflicts and crises, rather than enhancing regional security, risk harming the long-term security of regional populations.
He stressed that the Turkish Armed Forces possess the power, capability and unwavering will to respond as necessary to any fait accompli or hostile initiative targeting the security of Turkish Cypriots.
Guler noted that arrangements concerning the security and status of Cyprus are determined by international agreements.
"Türkiye exercises its guarantor rights and responsibilities on a legitimate basis arising from international law. The security, peace and welfare of Turkish Cypriots are of vital importance to us," he said.
"I want to state once again that Türkiye is on the side of peace, stability and constructive dialogue in the Eastern Mediterranean. However, our will to fulfill our guarantor responsibilities in the face of developments that would threaten the security of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is complete," Guler stated.
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The Turkish defense minister said NATO faces one of the most complex security environments in its history.
"In addition to conventional threats, hybrid threats, cyberattacks, terrorism, energy security risks and regional instabilities are reshaping the understanding of security," he said.
He described Türkiye as not only one of NATO's geographic centers but an integral part of the alliance's strategic thinking and operational capacity.
"We believe that the Ankara Summit will be a historic meeting that will reinforce NATO's unity and solidarity, strengthen common reasoning and shape the Alliance's future," Guler added.
He said Türkiye's hosting of the summit reflects its military contributions, operational experience, and security-generating capacity, and credited President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's "effective, reliable, and results-oriented leadership diplomacy" as a key element of the summit.
"Türkiye holds an exceptional position within the Alliance through its approach of contributing to the resolution of crises, keeping channels of dialogue open and supporting regional stability," Guler stated.
Guler said Türkiye's achievements in its defense industry contribute not only to national security but to NATO's collective defense.
"Our domestic and national systems support the interoperability capacity of allies and contribute to the Alliance's overall deterrence. A strong defense industry means strong deterrence and a strong NATO," he added.
He said the Defense Industry Forum to be held as part of the Ankara summit will make important contributions to deepening defense industry cooperation among allies.
Guler noted that defense ministers from three NATO member countries specifically emphasized during meetings the importance of strengthening cooperation with the Turkish defense industry.
The defense minister added that Türkiye remains among the top five countries contributing forces to NATO and has shown determined progress toward the 5% defense spending commitment target.
"Türkiye is a strong and respected member of NATO, and also the ally with the second-largest army in the Alliance. We continue to make effective contributions to all of NATO's core tasks and responsibilities, from military training to exercises, from operations to command-and-control activities," he said.
He added that Türkiye's upcoming assumption of command of NATO's Allied Reaction Force, one of the alliance's most critical force structures, is a concrete indicator of Türkiye's credibility and strategic importance within NATO.
Türkiye has pursued a balanced, principled, and constructive policy since the Russia-Ukraine war began, Defense Minister Guler said, noting the conflict's implications extend well beyond the two countries—directly affecting European security architecture, energy security, global trade routes, and NATO's security agenda.
Black Sea stability, he added, is an inseparable part of Euro-Atlantic security.
Türkiye continues to contribute to regional stability through its firm implementation of the Montreux Convention, supports the concept of regional ownership, and values cooperation among Black Sea littoral states.
Guler also addressed challenges affecting NATO's southern flank, including terrorism, irregular migration, energy security risks, regional conflicts, and hybrid threats.
"Due to its position on NATO's southern flank, Türkiye is among the leading allies directly confronting regional threats while also making significant contributions at the center of the Alliance owing to its growing strength in recent years," he said, adding that threats to Türkiye's security are also assessed as threats to NATO's security.
Türkiye welcomed the agreement reached to end the Iran-U.S. war, Guler said, adding that Türkiye is prepared to support mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz if needed.
"As a country contributing to regional and global security, Türkiye is also ready to provide the necessary contribution to initiatives that will support maritime security and freedom of navigation within the framework of international law," he said.
Guler said developments in the Middle East directly affect global, not just regional, security, and that NATO allies are closely following events there.
"Türkiye is pursuing a constructive approach that supports regional peace, stability and security, and advocates for resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy rather than allowing them to escalate," he said, adding that necessary measures continue to be taken in coordination with relevant institutions to prevent risks to national security.
Guler said solidarity, deterrence, interoperability, and strategic foresight stand out as core elements of collective security in the current environment.
"Türkiye, with its strong army, advanced defense industry, effective diplomacy and strategic vision, continues to be one of the fundamental actors of NATO, Euro-Atlantic security and regional stability," he said.
Türkiye's expectation from the Ankara Summit is, above all, a strong reaffirmation of the collective defense understanding that forms NATO's foundation and of commitment to Article 5.
It is also important for allies to demonstrate their determination on defense spending and capability targets through concrete steps, and that a shared will to strengthen defense production capacity and increase deterrence must also be shown, he said.
"Because today there is a very clear fact: Türkiye is a country that is not on the margins of the security architecture, but at its center," Guler said.
"As NATO's future takes shape, Türkiye is not one to watch developments from a distance, but one of the leading allies that contributes to decision-making, takes on responsibility and produces security.
With its strong army, strategic vision and the duties it has undertaken, Türkiye's signature will continue to be a strong and decisive part of NATO's future," the Turkish defense minister concluded.
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