Türkiye is "evaluating all options" to boost its air defenses, including the potential purchase of Patriot systems from Washington ⁠or Franco-Italian SAMP-T systems, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said on Tuesday.

For years, Türkiye has been ramping up investments as it seeks to have its own fully fledged missile defenses. It is meanwhile producing components for its integrated, multilayered "Steel Dome" air defense system.

"Our core approach on this issue is clear: we are open to all cooperation that meets our ⁠country's security needs, that includes technology-sharing ​and joint production, and that is sustainable and in line with the spirit of alliance," Güler told an interview with Reuters.

Technical and political talks with the relevant countries are taking place "from time to time", he added.

Güler's remarks came ahead of a historic NATO summit in Ankara next week.

Türkiye has NATO's second-largest army and in recent years has significantly cut its external dependence in the defense sector, developing one of the world's leading defense industries.

European security initiatives

It has also been seeking to join many European initiatives aimed at revamping the continent's defenses to counter Russia and the risk of a U.S. pullback from NATO.

Güler said while Ankara in principle viewed European steps to strengthen defense and security as positive, these efforts lacked inclusivity and would therefore not be fully effective.

"We believe excluding such an important capacity (Türkiye) from Europe's defense initiatives is a ​strategically inaccurate approach," he said, adding that Ankara expected Europe to adopt a "visionary approach" and embrace cooperation with Türkiye.

On Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye must be included in all of Europe's defense structures and defense trade restrictions between NATO members must be removed.

"Türkiye's indispensable contributions to European security are sometimes overlooked," Erdoğan told parliamentary delegates from all 32 NATO member states in Istanbul. He said Türkiye wanted "to participate in all defense and security initiatives" on the continent.

At issue is Türkiye's access to the European Union's 150-billion-euro ($176-billion) Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative, intended to strengthen European defense capabilities.

Within SAFE, firms from non-EU countries such as Türkiye, Britain and the United States can only supply up to 35% of the component costs of weaponry funded by the scheme.

If Türkiye wants its companies to be able to tap a bigger part of the funds Ankara needs to sign a security partnership with the EU and then negotiate special access with Brussels – a process that would require approval from all 27 EU members.

"If we ‌want ⁠to combat the tests we are facing, we must lift restrictions on defense industry trade while carrying out burden sharing in a balanced and fair manner," Erdoğan said, adding Türkiye was doing its part in terms of reaching ​NATO's defense spending targets.

Last year, allies ​agreed on a defense spending goal of 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035.

Güler said Türkiye was committed to that goal and was gradually increasing its spending to meet it, adding Ankara aimed to meet all its capability targets ⁠by 2029.

He said ‌the priority ‌areas for defense spending were drones, anti-drone systems, air defense and missile systems, naval projects, ⁠unmanned systems and cyber capabilities, adding that the "Steel Dome" integrated air defense ‌system would be completed "as soon as possible."

The system, first announced in July 2024, foresees integration of locally developed missile batteries, radars, electro-optical sensors, communications modules and command-and-control centers.

It aims to provide integrated protection against low, medium and high-altitude threats through land-based and sea-based air defense platforms and sensors developed at home.

NATO adjusting to security landscape

Türkiye will host 32 NATO leaders, as well ⁠as officials from the Gulf and Asia-Pacific region, on July 7-8 for a summit that it hopes will emphasize alliance unity and bolster deterrence.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to pull his country out of the ​alliance while Washington has moved to withdraw troops, planes, ships and weapons from Europe ​due ⁠to tensions among allies over burden-sharing, defense spending and U.S. complaints about allies' lack of involvement in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Güler said NATO is adjusting ​to a shifting security landscape and suggested that the U.S. is not seeking to leave the alliance.

He said priorities for the summit would be showing allies' increased defense spending, taking steps towards a stronger transatlantic defense industry, reaffirming unity within the alliance and boosting support for Ukraine.

"NATO continues to be an unparalleled and fundamental platform for Euro-Atlantic security and defense. We evaluate the period we are going through not as a crisis, but as a process of adjusting to the changing security environment," Güler said.

Washington had "no intention of withdrawing" from NATO, he said, but rather wanted European allies and Canada to assume more responsibility for European security.

"It is expected that contacts and efforts on creating a concrete road map to strengthen the European pillar will intensify at the summit," Güler said, adding that while Ankara backed a ⁠fairer ⁠burden-sharing scheme, its priority was preserving the unity of the alliance.

NATO has been under unprecedented strain, with some European allies concerned that Washington may withdraw outright or working to fill gaps from the reduction of U.S. forces.

Güler said Washington played a central role for the bloc's security and deterrence and that it was of strategic importance to preserve the transatlantic bond.

"NATO's current nuclear sharing arrangements and the U.S. role of extended deterrence remain fundamentally important to the security of the alliance," he said.