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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has expressed support for Türkiye's participation in the European Union's €150 billion ($177.5 billion) defense fund, also known as Security Action for Europe (SAFE), according to European diplomatic sources cited by Greek media outlet Kathimerini on Tuesday.
Rutte made the supportive remarks during his first appearance at a meeting with EU ambassadors last Thursday, shortly after the European Commission confirmed Ankara's formal request to join the SAFE program.
"Closer EU-Türkiye engagement is essential for stronger NATO cooperation," Rutte told the EU's permanent representatives, according to the sources cited by Kathimerini.
The NATO chief reportedly argued that Türkiye's involvement in SAFE could help soften Ankara's long-standing objections to sharing sensitive NATO-EU information, a diplomatic source described as a complex issue tied to NATO defense standards.
While Rutte has already shared unclassified standards with the EU — reportedly angering Türkiye — classified data requires unanimous NATO approval, giving Ankara significant leverage in the process.
Rutte urged EU states to recognize Türkiye's military capabilities and extend what he called "a gesture of goodwill."
Greece and Greek Cyprus remain the most ardent objectors to Türkiye's involvement in SAFE, according to the report.
An EU diplomat stressed that SAFE remains a European program and participation decisions rest with EU member states. "NATO cannot set conditions while blocking defense development financed with external funds," one diplomat said.
An informational meeting about SAFE was held in Ankara on Tuesday, where Türkiye's Defense Industry Agency (SSB) emphasized the country's role in European security architecture and the strategic value of its domestic defense industry.
Discussions reportedly focused on increasing visibility in Europe and developing new partnerships.
During the meeting, discussions were held on the activities within the scope of the EU's SAFE (Security & Defence) program, opportunities, and its role in the defense industry. In addition to the business opportunities within the SAFE Program, Turkish officials also discussed the EU's technology and innovation opportunities that the Turkish defense industry can benefit from.
"This meeting, which brought together the EU's current approaches in security and defense with our country’s strategic goals, provided an important foundation for joint projects," said Bulent Ozcan, the Director General for Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation from the Turkish Foreign Ministry's Directorate for EU Affairs on X.
The European Commission has recently announced preliminary allocations for the €150 billion defense fund among 19 EU member states that requested support.
Poland will receive the largest share at €43.7 billion, followed by Romania (€16.68 billion), France and Hungary (€16.21 billion each), and Italy (€14.9 billion).
Other allocations include Belgium (€8.34 billion), Lithuania (€6.37 billion), Portugal (€5.84 billion), Latvia (€5.68 billion), Bulgaria (€3.26 billion), Estonia (€2.66 billion), Slovakia (€2.31 billion), Czech Republic (€2.06 billion), Croatia (€1.7 billion), the Greek Cyprus (€1.18 billion), Spain and Finland (€1 billion each), Greece (€787 million) and Denmark (€46.7 million).
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