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

The United States is not seeking to withdraw from NATO, according to Türkiye’s defense minister, who emphasized that Washington remains committed to the military alliance amid an evolving security landscape.

Defense Minister Yasar Guler told Reuters that the U.S. has no intention of leaving the bloc.

Instead, Washington expects European allies and Canada to shoulder a greater share of the security burden.

Burden-Sharing Demands

Speaking ahead of a NATO summit scheduled for July 7-8 in Ankara, Guler dismissed notions that the alliance is in crisis.

He characterized the current period as a process of adjusting to a shifting global security environment.

The U.S. has previously expressed complaints over a lack of allied involvement in specific operations, such as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

These internal alliance tensions have largely centered on defense spending and the overall distribution of responsibilities.

Ankara Summit Agenda

Türkiye will host 32 NATO leaders during the upcoming summit.

Officials from the Gulf and the Asia-Pacific region will also be in attendance.

Guler noted that the talks will focus on bloc unity, evaluating increased defense budgets, and bolstering defense industry cooperation.

Increasing support for Ukraine is also central to the summit agenda.

Furthermore, Guler stressed that European defense initiatives must formally include Ankara in their planning and operational structures.

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