Recent disputes involving the United States, NATO and European allies have renewed focus on Türkiye’s evolving role within the alliance, with experts pointing to Ankara’s efforts to maintain strategic balance between Washington and Brussels, particularly after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized preserving trans-Atlantic ties in talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte ahead of July’s NATO summit in Ankara.
“While the Trump administration’s 'America First' approach, which questions trans-Atlantic ties, is creating deep structural fissures within NATO, Türkiye stands out as one of the few rational actors capable of bridging the divide between polarized parties at this very juncture,” Tolga Sakman, chair of the Center for Diplomatic Affairs and Political Studies (DIPAM), told Daily Sabah.
In an interview with Britain’s Telegraph newspaper on April 1, U.S. President Donald Trump described NATO as a “paper tiger” and suggested Washington’s future in the alliance was “beyond reconsideration.” Expressing frustration over what he described as a lack of support from allies in the war launched against Iran, he said he was considering withdrawing the U.S. from NATO.
Ayhan Sarı, an assistant professor at the Turkish-German University and security and foreign policy expert at the Turkish Research Foundation (TAV), also stated that, “If the United States steps back from its leadership role in NATO, an actor like Türkiye could emerge to fill part of that space,” arguing if the United States, under Trump or a future president, continues pursuing these policies and Europe faces potential security vulnerabilities, this is an issue that could be addressed together with Türkiye.
Moreover, asked whether he was considering leaving NATO, “Yes, I would say it’s beyond the stage of reconsideration. I was never impressed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and by the way, Putin knows that too,” he said.
The comments were widely viewed as Trump’s strongest criticism of NATO to date.
Remarking that the United States' withdrawal from NATO does not appear to be a realistic scenario due to legal and institutional constraints that cannot be overridden by President Trump’s impulsive political decisions, "the U.S. administration has already begun taking steps that could make a gradual weakening of Washington’s influence within the alliance more tangible,” Sakman noted.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on April 22 to discuss preparations for the NATO leaders summit to be held in Ankara, along with key alliance priorities and regional and global developments.
During the meeting, Erdoğan emphasized the importance of preserving trans-Atlantic ties and said maintaining the trans-Atlantic link remains indispensable for the alliance, according to an announcement from Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications.
The president underlined that Türkiye expects NATO’s European pillar to assume greater responsibility and stressed that excluding European allies that are not members of the European Union from the bloc’s defense initiatives would not serve the broader objective of collective security.
He also added that Türkiye continues to expand its defense industry capabilities, particularly in air defense systems, and aims to further deepen cooperation with allied countries in this field.
“President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s remarks reflect what can be described as Türkiye’s broader vision for the future of the alliance and its effort to promote cohesion within NATO,” according to Sakman.
“By remaining outside the less visible political competition among allies, Ankara has been able to articulate regional and even global security priorities more freely due to its distinct position in the international system.”
He added that this position has led some European countries to seek deeper defense and security cooperation with Türkiye beyond the institutional frameworks of NATO and the European Union.
On May 20, Erdoğan held a phone call with Trump to discuss Türkiye-U.S. bilateral relations as well as regional and global developments.
During the call, the Turkish president said preparations for the NATO summit to be hosted in Ankara are ongoing and noted that Türkiye is making every effort to ensure the meeting is successful in all aspects
“The possibility of Türkiye assuming a broader strategic role is being discussed increasingly seriously across Europe,” Sarı noted.
In that context, Türkiye’s improving ties with European countries in recent years, cooperation with Ankara on Syria, Europe’s reluctance to fully align with the positions of Greece and Greek Cypriots on certain issues, and the succession of visits by European leaders can all be interpreted as part of this broader trend, according to Sarı.
“There will be a transformation. This transformation may perhaps be a very radical one.”
On the other hand, Sakman also pointed out the relationship between Turkish and American presidents who share the closest rapport in Europe, suggesting Ankara appears to possess significant potential to serve as a key mediator and to build a conciliatory diplomatic framework in the structural crises between Washington and Brussels.
While marking Türkiye’s journey in NATO throughout the years, “Türkiye served as a logistically critical but largely security-dependent country that contributed to protecting the Western bloc’s borders against the Soviet threat, in the context of the Cold War in 1952,” Sakman asserted.
Türkiye joined NATO on Feb. 18, 1952. The alliance was founded in 1949.
Over the past 74 years, leveraging its strategic location, Türkiye has continued to make critical contributions to NATO as the first ally in the region to directly confront threats and risks, particularly in the fight against terrorism.
Among 32 allies, Türkiye ranks seventh in contributing to the alliance’s budget. Its total contribution is expected to amount to 300 million euros (just over $355 million) this year and to rise to 620 million euros in 2030.
"However, today, in a world shaped by multicentric dynamics and asymmetric threats, Türkiye has evolved into an active security producer capable of developing independent strategies within its sphere of influence through its military capabilities, advances in its defense industry and flexible diplomacy, positioning itself as an indispensable regional power,” Sakman added.
Türkiye this year marks the 74th anniversary of its admission to NATO and boasts the second biggest army of the alliance. It is the only country in NATO’s “southern flank” with a sizeable military power and a gateway to the Middle East and wider Asia. Security of the Black Sea also largely depends on Türkiye, especially amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which threatens maritime security.
Col. Matthias Boehnke, spokesperson for NATO’s Joint Force Command Brunssum, said Türkiye was the leading contributor to the Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise, which was conducted in Germany and the Baltic region.
“Türkiye is the nation providing the largest contribution to this exercise. The core forces and a significant portion of the units come from Türkiye,” Boehnke said during a media and distinguished visitors day at the Putlos training area on the Baltic Sea.
The Steadfast Dart 2026 exercise, NATO's largest of the year, tests the rapid deployment and integration of the Allied Reaction Force (ARF). Running from January to March 2026, it involves around 10,000 personnel from 11 NATO countries.
Türkiye participated in this comprehensive NATO exercise with a joint force of 2,067 personnel and the Naval Task Group, the Turkish defence minister announced.
On July 7-8, Türkiye will host the leaders' summit of the alliance for the second time in more than two decades. Heads of state and top figures from member countries will be in Ankara for the summit.
Drawing attention to Trump’s strongest economic pressure not only toward China but also toward the Western bloc, particularly through tariff policies, the upcoming NATO summit is expected to carry particular significance, according to Sarı.
“The decisions that emerge, the meetings held among leaders, Trump’s positioning and the reactions of European states will all be closely watched,” he remarked.
“The fact that the summit is taking place in Türkiye and is expected to draw participation at the highest level further increases its importance.”
Some 6,000 participants are expected to attend the event. Preparations are underway in the Turkish capital for the event, where alliance leaders will likely discuss their future as conflicts proliferate across the world, forcing them to bolster defense expenditures.
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said the gathering would mark an important moment for the alliance.
Whitaker also described Türkiye as a model ally within the alliance.
“Türkiye is already present in the region, committing resources and possessing the necessary capabilities and defense industrial base. It is a truly important example of an ally,” he said. “My message to other allies is that I wish they would view Türkiye as a model allied country and do what Türkiye has done over the past 70 years since joining the alliance.”
Moreover, Sakman also indicated that the 22-year-old meeting, held after the 2004 NATO summit in Istanbul, comes at a critical moment as the global security architecture is being reshaped by multiple challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine war and instability across the Middle East.
“The NATO summit to be held in Ankara carries historic significance in terms of reaffirming Türkiye’s strategic weight within the alliance and highlighting its role as a geopolitical center,” he said.
