Erdogan Urges NATO to Ease Defense Restrictions

At the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on allies to lift restrictions on cooperation in the defense industry. He said Alliance member states should not be excluded from European defense initiatives simply because they are not members of the European Union.

Erdogan warned that such restrictions create unnecessary divisions in Europe and weaken collective security.

His remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump announced his intention to lift sanctions against Turkey and hinted at a possible sale of F-35 fighter jets, though the move may face resistance in the US Congress.

Erdogan also said Turkey plans to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2030 and is investing an additional $24bn in the Steel Dome air defense project.

(Reuters, mja)