NATO calls for Türkiye-European Union rapprochement amid shifting ties

NATO has urged the EU and Türkiye to strengthen their relationship, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from European security forces has forced European capitals to reconsider their alliances.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has encouraged EU leaders behind closed doors to engage more with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after years of strained relations, according to officials who were briefed on his comments in a report by the Financial Times.

This call for closer collaboration comes as Brussels looks for ways to work more closely with Türkiye and other non-EU neighbors as part of an ambitious effort to enhance European defense capabilities.

Trump’s rhetoric ignites European defense rethinking

Trump’s threats to withdraw U.S. security guarantees to European NATO allies, along with his efforts to restart ties with Russia and reduce support for Ukraine, have unsettled EU capitals.

In response, many EU capitals have pushed for increased defense spending and some have proposed forming a “coalition of the willing” with non-EU countries such as Norway and the U.K.

In early March, Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, participated in a meeting of Europe’s major military powers in London to discuss support for Ukraine and broader defense issues.

In February, Rutte made a plea during a private lunch with EU leaders, urging them to enhance cooperation with Türkiye and to engage with Ankara to make it work, according to three individuals familiar with the conversation reporting to Financial Times.

Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister who had often clashed with Erdogan during his tenure, declined to comment through his spokesperson. He received Turkish backing to NATO’s top spot in April 2024 after visiting Türkiye.

In January, the NATO Secretary-General told the European Parliament that “involving non-EU allies in EU defense industrial efforts is vital for the security of Europe.”

Europe’s Turkish gambit

One senior EU official commented, “At a certain point in time, you need to decide who you want on your team, regardless of any issues you might have. But Türkiye also needs to clarify its stance on Russia.”

Türkiye has not joined Western allies in imposing sanctions on Moscow in response to its invasion of Ukraine. It has continued to maintain strong economic and energy ties with Russia while also maintaining key relations with Ukraine and calling for maintaining its territorial integrity.

Although the EU’s direct involvement in defense and security is mainly limited to areas like military mobility and peacekeeping, it holds significant financial leverage to shape defense industry collaborations.

Türkiye’s strong defense industry is central to a broader debate within the EU about whether third-country defense companies should benefit from EU initiatives aimed at increasing arms spending. Efforts to deepen engagement with Ankara also aim to improve bilateral ties between Turkey and EU capitals.

The Turkish defense industry in the last several months had a myriad of defensive cooperation deals with both Spain and Italy. In March, Türkiye’s Baykar and Italy’s Leonardo took crucial steps in furthering defensive aviation cooperation.

Stalled EU accession

While Türkiye is technically still an EU accession candidate, the process has stalled for years, and various dialogue channels—especially those related to security and defense—were suspended in part because of unresolved tensions with Greece.

Athens remains unwilling to engage in negotiations to resolve longstanding disputes, including minority rights, migration, an arms race and territorial water delineation. Yet the changing times with Trump’s arrival require to set aside differences and reach practical solutions, whereby Greece’s extraordinary requests on those matters takes a back seat.

However, strengthening defense ties could pave the way for a renewed consideration of Türkiye’s EU accession bid. Türkiye’s top diplomat, Fidan, emphasized that Ankara is ready and committed to shaping a new European security framework.