Türkiye and Finland have signed a Defence Industry Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at deepening collaboration between the two NATO allies through joint production, technology exchange, and the development of defence capabilities.
The agreement was signed by Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries head Haluk Gorgun and Finland's Director General for Resource Policy and National Armaments Director Olli Ruutu, marking a significant step in bilateral defense relations.
Görgün highlighted the strategic significance of the agreement, stating, “The memorandum of understanding we signed with Finland marks the beginning of a new era in joint production, technology sharing, and capability development.”
In a post on his X account, Görgün added that the agreement aims to “enhance and elevate defense industry cooperation between NATO allies Türkiye and Finland to its highest level.”
“Strong partnerships are the foundation of sustainable peace and a shared vision of security. This cooperation, which will bolster NATO’s deterrence, also represents a significant step toward the integration into Europe’s defense industry. We are combining the spirit of alliance with our industrial vision, further deepening our contribution to Euro-Atlantic security,” - he stated.
In 2023, Finland’s Defense Ministry announced the lifting of the military equipment export embargo to Türkiye, which had been in place since 2019, and granted licenses for arms sales. The ministry also issued the first commercial export license for military materials to Türkiye.
Finland had suspended its export licenses in October 2019 in response to Türkiye’s military operation in Syria. The permission for arms sales was among the conditions Türkiye set for approving Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership.
Read next
18:44
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, calling for greater international pressure to push Moscow toward peace negotiations.
17:17
NATO has confirmed that its 2026 summit will be hosted by Türkiye, with Albania set to host the following summit in 2027, according to the final declaration from the summit in The Hague.
17:04
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague to discuss key regional and global issues.
16:00
The European Union will provide €20 million in humanitarian aid to support vulnerable refugees in Türkiye. This funding will be directed to humanitarian partners working closely with Turkish authorities to address refugees’ essential needs, including protection, health, water and sanitation, etc.
15:53
Türkiye
Türkiye has voiced strong concern following the United States’ strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, warning that the action could dangerously escalate the conflict and trigger a global crisis.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment