Turkey is seen as a key partner in reshaping European security as Europe strengthens its defense and seeks guarantees for Ukraine in a possible US-backed ceasefire. Diplomats and analysts say this shift, along with Europe's efforts to bolster Ukraine's military and reduce reliance on the US, has created a unique opportunity for Turkey to deepen ties with Europe.
"European countries that thought they had the luxury of excluding Turkey until today are now seeing that they cannot exclude Turkey anymore" said Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and director of the Centre for Economic and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM).
NATO member Turkey, with the alliance's second-largest army, has begun producing jets, tanks, and naval carriers, and sells armed drones globally, including to Ukraine. Its defense exports totaled US$7.1 billion in 2024.
