During Monday’s talks, Erdoğan and Rutte will also discuss removing obstacles to defense procurement between NATO allies.
They will also address the Alliance’s joint efforts in combating terrorism, a Turkish official said.
Türkiye’s stance on the war in Ukraine
Türkiye is a NATO member. The country has condemned the Russian invasion, supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and has provided military assistance to Kyiv. Recently, Erdogan stated that Crimea should be returned under Ukrainian control.
However, as a Black Sea neighbor to both Russia and Ukraine, Türkiye is also opposed to Western sanctions against Moscow, with which it maintains important defense, energy, and tourism ties.
Moreover, Erdoğan recently voiced his opposition to the US decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike Russia, stating that this would further escalate the conflict.
Interestingly, as Bloomberg reported in February, before Mark Rutte became NATO’s Secretary General, Türkiye even considered blocking his appointment.
