Türkiye has thrown its full support behind NATO’s new pledge to raise collective defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, with Ankara confirming it is already surpassing the previous 2% benchmark and accelerating efforts to bolster national and regional security.
A senior official from the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said Türkiye, as NATO’s second-largest army, is among the top contributors to the alliance’s operations and has fulfilled all capability targets set by the bloc.
“Türkiye is above the 2% target under the Defence Spending Pledge,” the source said Thursday. “We continue to invest heavily in defence industry production and innovation.”
NATO members formally agreed on Wednesday to raise the spending target, citing rising threats from Russia and the need to build both military capacity and civilian infrastructure resilience. The revised target includes a minimum of 3.5% of GDP for core defence and 1.5% for critical infrastructure, such as transport and digital networks.
Ankara confirmed it is advancing a wide range of projects, including its multi-layered “Steel Dome” air defence system and programmes to develop hypersonic, ballistic and cruise missile capabilities, unmanned vehicles, and next-generation naval and aerial platforms.
The new NATO framework also allows allies to count weapons and ammunition supplied to Ukraine as part of the spending formula. This may ease pressure on some members but could still pose a challenge for several countries — including Spain, Belgium, France, and Italy — struggling with budget constraints. Slovakia also voiced reservations, while Spain officially opposed the agreement.
The bloc will review progress in 2029, following the next U.S. presidential election. President Donald Trump, attending the summit, praised the shift: “I left there saying these people really love their countries. It’s not a ripoff. They want to protect their country, and they need the United States.
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Street clashes broke out for a second night in the Tunisian city of Kairouan after a man died following a police pursuit, raising fears of wider unrest as the country nears the anniversary of the 2011 revolution.
U.S. stock markets closed lower at the end of the week, as investors continued to rotate out of technology shares, putting pressure on major indices.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has warned that without concrete concessions from Russia, such as limiting its military forces or curbing its defence budget, new conflicts could erupt elsewhere, even if Ukraine receives security guarantees.
The latest round of clashes between Thailand and Cambodia has left 15 Thai soldiers dead and 270 others injured, Thailand’s Ministry of Defence spokesman Surasant Kongsiri said at a press conference on Saturday.
The Oligarch’s Design is an investigative documentary exploring how financial power, political influence and carefully constructed narratives can shape conflict and public perception.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated his offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Ankara, at his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks took place on the sidelines of the international Forum for Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday (12 December).
Iranian authorities have seized a foreign tanker carrying more than 6 million litres of smuggled fuel in the Sea of Oman.
Russian forces struck Ukraine’s southern port city of Odesa for a second consecutive day on Saturday (13 December), deploying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles for the first time in the conflict, Ukrainian authorities said.
A bulk carrier owned by a Turkish company was struck during a Russian attack on Ukraine’s southern coast on Friday.
Street clashes broke out for a second night in the Tunisian city of Kairouan after a man died following a police pursuit, raising fears of wider unrest as the country nears the anniversary of the 2011 revolution.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says international cooperation is essential for Syria’s recovery as investment slowly begins to return despite the scale of destruction after years of conflict.
Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Saturday (13 December) that Thai forces would continue military action along the Cambodia border until Bangkok believes there is no longer a threat to Thai territory or civilians.
U.S. stock markets closed lower at the end of the week, as investors continued to rotate out of technology shares, putting pressure on major indices.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has warned that without concrete concessions from Russia, such as limiting its military forces or curbing its defence budget, new conflicts could erupt elsewhere, even if Ukraine receives security guarantees.
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