Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
The announcement comes as both Berlin and Ankara call for closer bilateral cooperation in the security sphere.
In a statement issued on Monday, the German Defence Ministry said the planned deployment would include around 150 military personnel in addition to the Patriot battery.
The ministry added that the German military also plans to establish an Air and Missile Defence Task Force, which will work alongside the Turkish armed forces.
The announcement came shortly after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, for talks in Berlin.
According to diplomatic sources, the closed-door discussions focused on bilateral ties, Türkiye-EU relations, joint security and the latest regional developments.
Speaking alongside Fidan at a press conference on Monday, Wadephul said Türkiye was able to “exert considerable influence on trouble spots,” referring to ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
He attributed this to what he described as Türkiye’s “enormous political and economic significance.”
Berlin’s top diplomat also called for Ankara’s role to be taken into account when developing EU policies related to defence and industry.
The German deployment and Wadephul’s remarks reinforced Ankara’s long-standing argument that Türkiye’s military capabilities and strategic geography make it a crucial component of Europe’s security architecture.
Poland backs Türkiye’s growing role
In a related development on Monday, Poland also voiced support for Türkiye’s expanding role.
Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki described the country as a “key and strategic partner” for Warsaw, noting that Ankara was assisting Poland across a range of areas, including security.
In military terms, Bosacki called Türkiye an “important partner,” pointing to a landmark security cooperation agreement signed by Warsaw and Ankara last year.
Taken together, these developments suggest Türkiye’s role in European defence planning is set to grow as ongoing conflicts reshape outdated approaches to continental security.
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