Türkiye appears as "a potential guarantor of Europe's defense autonomy," according to an expert's latest writing in the Greek daily Kathimerini published earlier this week, evaluating Ankara's rising global influence.
Recalling the intensified negotiations between Türkiye and major European powers on the future of European security architecture, the article authored by Stavros Ioannidis stated that it seemed unimaginable only a few years ago.
"Times, however, have changed, and the international situation, as well as the declared intention of the U.S. to reduce its military footprint on the Old Continent, creates a first-class opportunity for Türkiye, not only to return to the European 'living rooms' but to assume a leading role in NATO and Europe," the report said.
This situation is not favorable to Greek interests or the country's weak defense industry, which does not appear to be prepared to keep up with the pace required by international developments, Ioannidis stated.
Greece, which has stepped up its efforts to procure defense equipment from abroad, has often acknowledged Türkiye's growing capabilities while also proclaiming opposition to certain deals, such as the recent example of Ankara's planned supply of Meteor missiles.
Both NATO allies but historic foes, the two neighbors have long been at odds over issues, including where their continental shelves start and end, energy resources, migration, flights over the Aegean Sea and the ethnically partitioned island of Cyprus.
Tensions have eased in recent years as the sides agreed to reboot their relations, pledging to keep open communication channels and work on the issues that have kept them apart.
Ioannidis also maintained that Türkiye, on the one hand, expanded its footprint from Syria to Northern and Eastern Africa, while on the other hand, it successfully penetrated European defense markets, as evidenced by the export of ammunition and drones to many European countries, as well as a close and successful cooperation between Türkiye, Italy and Spain.
"While the Old Continent seems weak to stand on its own two feet defensively, Türkiye, through its President Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, clearly says that only it can save the EU from the impasse in the economy, defense and politics," he commented.
Moreover, the author directly cited Fidan's recent presence at the emergency summit on Ukraine convened by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which, on the contrary, was not attended by Greek officials.
He also touched upon the acquisition of the Italian Piaggio Aerospace by Baykar, the company that manufactures the famous drones Bayraktar and Akıncı and the fighter jet Kızılelma, the pending deal with the Italian giant Leonardo and cooperation with other European manufacturers and nations. He said this shows that "Turkish industry is rapidly evolving into a 'giant' of the arms market."
Earlier this week, Erdoğan, speaking to ambassadors, emphasized Türkiye's role in Europe's security, suggesting that recent developments have once again demonstrated the importance of the relations between Türkiye and the European Union.
"To be clear, you cannot consider securing Europe without Türkiye. Our European friends should face this reality and advance our full membership process with a visionary approach," Erdoğan said at the event attended by European ambassadors of the head of the EU delegation in Türkiye.
Türkiye indeed has undergone a significant path of self-sufficiency in the defense sector, producing a range of domestic platforms and cutting-edge technology to equip those platforms.
According to official data, the country's defense exports surged nearly 30% annually to reach a new record high of $7.2 billion in 2024.
