US Has No Intention of Leaving NATO, Turkish Defense Minister Says

The United States has no intention of withdrawing from NATO, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler confirmed ahead of a major alliance summit in Ankara next week.

Speaking to Reuters, Guler dismissed concerns that the 32-member bloc is facing a crisis.

He stated instead that the defense pact is merely adjusting to a shifting global security landscape.

Türkiye will host NATO leaders, along with officials from the Gulf and Asia-Pacific regions, on July 7 and 8.

The summit aims to emphasize alliance unity and bolster geopolitical deterrence.

Burden-Sharing Priorities

Fears of a U.S. exit escalated after President Donald Trump threatened to pull Washington out of the alliance.

The U.S. has recently moved to withdraw troops, aircraft, and naval assets from Europe.

These actions stemmed from transatlantic tensions over defense spending and a lack of allied participation in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Guler clarified that Washington is not seeking to abandon its commitments.

He noted that the U.S. wants European allies and Canada to assume greater responsibility for their own security.

Contacts aimed at creating a concrete roadmap to strengthen the European defense pillar are expected to intensify during the upcoming summit.

While Ankara supports a fairer burden-sharing scheme, Guler emphasized that preserving alliance unity remains the ultimate priority.

Strategic Reliance on Washington

NATO has faced unprecedented strain as European capitals work to fill military gaps left by the reduction of U.S. forces.

However, Guler underscored that Washington continues to play a central role in the bloc's overall security architecture.

Preserving the transatlantic bond holds vital strategic importance for the alliance.

Current nuclear sharing arrangements and the U.S. role in extended deterrence remain fundamental to NATO's defense posture.

"NATO continues to be an unparalleled and fundamental platform for Euro-Atlantic security and defense," Guler stated.

European Defense Inclusion

Türkiye maintains the second-largest military force within NATO and has significantly reduced its reliance on foreign defense imports.

Despite developing a leading defense industry, Ankara has been excluded from various European security initiatives due to political differences.

Guler warned that excluding Türkiye from Europe's defense plans is a strategically inaccurate approach.

He argued that current European efforts to strengthen security lack inclusivity and will ultimately fall short of being fully effective.

Ankara expects Europe to adopt a more visionary strategy that embraces direct cooperation.

Capability Targets and Spending

Last year, NATO allies agreed to a defense spending target of 5 percent of GDP by 2035.

Türkiye is committed to this benchmark and expects to meet all of its capability targets by 2029.

Ankara's defense spending priorities include unmanned systems, anti-drone technology, naval projects, and cyber capabilities.

Development of the country's Steel Dome integrated air defense system is being expedited.

Because Türkiye lacks fully fledged domestic missile defenses, it relies heavily on NATO systems and allied fighter jets.

The defense ministry is evaluating all options to meet these critical needs.

This includes potential acquisitions of U.S. Patriot systems or Franco-Italian SAMP-T batteries.

Guler indicated that Ankara is open to any sustainable cooperation that includes technology sharing and joint production.