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NATO Military Committee Chair Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said Türkiye plays a critical role in NATO because of its geostrategic position and military capacity, while praising the Turkish defense industry as an important strength for Europe and the alliance.
Dragone, NATO's top military official, spoke to Hurriyet during the NATO summit in Bestepe and described Türkiye as a strong ally and an important reference point for all members.
Assessing Türkiye's role in NATO, Dragone said the country stands at the intersection of the east, the Balkans, NATO's eastern and southern flanks, and the Middle East.
"Türkiye is a strong ally and an important reference point for all of us," Dragone said. "Its defense industry capacity is also constantly developing. The joint projects it carries out with alliance countries and the U.S. are also of great importance."
Dragone described the Turkish defense industry as "wonderful," saying it represents a major asset for Europe and NATO.
"It is a great value for Europe and NATO," Dragone said. "They produce systems in many areas, including air, land and sea. This is truly admirable. Türkiye's industrial capacity is an important strength both for individual countries and for the alliance."
Dragone also recalled his recent visit to Turkish technology company Baykar, saying he was highly impressed by what he saw at the facility.
"I stayed for about two or three hours," he said. "The variety and number of systems and platforms they produce were very impressive."
He said Baykar's working methods, the number of engineers and the fact that the average age of its engineers is 40 also drew his attention.
"This approach is truly admirable," Dragone said.
Dragone also praised the Ay Yildiz Joint Headquarters, which he visited as part of the NATO summit.
He described the facility as "magnificent and breathtaking" and also praised Türkiye's hosting of the summit, saying the event had been highly impressive.
Dragone said the summit reflected Türkiye's capacity as a host and its role within the alliance, while also highlighting the country's growing defense and industrial capabilities.
Dragone said Europe had undergone a major transformation in defense over the past year.
"Europe and Canada received the message," he said. "They understood that they need to invest more in defense and take more responsibility for their own security. Many steps have been taken and serious commitments have been made."
Dragone said greater European defense investment is no longer a choice but a necessity.
"It must be in a position to ensure its own security," he said.
He said defense spending is generally being directed toward the right areas, but noted that in the past, resources had been wasted because similar projects were repeated.
"We must not repeat this mistake," Dragone said. "Governments should give industry longer-term planning opportunities and strong contract guarantees. This way, companies can invest more and take more risks."
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