NATO Secretary-General, Mark Rutte, has privately urged EU leaders to engage with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to enhance cooperation on security matters.
This was reported by The Financial Times on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources.
Rutte’s initiative comes amid the EU’s efforts to bolster its defense posture in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of European security spending.
Trump’s call for NATO member states to increase their defense contributions to 5 per cent of GDP has prompted discussions about strengthening ties with non-EU countries, including Turkey.
In January, Trump criticised the EU for its low investments in NATO’s defense capabilities, while U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth affirmed that Washington had no plans to reduce its military presence in Europe.
During the Munich Security Conference, U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with Rutte, stressing the need for EU countries to raise their defense spending and for NATO to ensure a more balanced distribution of defense contributions among its members.
