Erdogan says what NATO countries will discuss at Ankara summit
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that in the current geopolitical circumstances, the importance of NATO's deterrent potential and its internal solidarity has increased.
Erdogan stressed that wars change the perception of security. "In the current conditions, increasing NATO's deterrent potential and strengthening solidarity among allies are of even greater importance. The current geopolitical situation has increased the importance of NATO's role," the Turkish president said at the NATO parliamentary summit in Istanbul.
The head of state emphasized that "Turkey understands the spirit of the new era best." "Having a land border of more than 1,800 km with crisis regions, Turkey, thanks to its strong army, modern military capabilities and developed defense industry, has been at the forefront of allies contributing to NATO's security for more than 70 years," Erdogan said.
Speaking about the NATO summit scheduled for July 7-8 in Ankara, the Turkish president noted that "it is attracting enormous interest not only from allies but from the whole world." "As part of NATO's comprehensive approach to security, we will assess global and regional developments, especially in Ukraine, the Persian Gulf and Palestine," he said. "In this regard, we will continue to provide the necessary support together with Pakistan and Qatar, as well as other friendly and fraternal countries, to implement on a permanent basis the decision on a ceasefire between the United States and Iran."
Erdogan also noted that in Ankara "they are closely monitoring [Israel's] attacks on Lebanon, which undermine the agreements reached." Speaking about Israel's actions, he said that Turkey expects support from NATO members to prevent provocations by Tel Aviv, "which cannot tolerate stability in the region and even views it as a threat to its own security." "The Palestinian issue lies at the heart of tensions in the Middle East. Unfortunately, lasting peace in our region is impossible without ending the occupation and Israel's ongoing land grabs," he added.
Source: TASS
