Türkiye Backs NATO’s 5% Defense Spending Target, Expands Role in Anti-Daesh Coalition

Türkiye has expressed strong support for NATO’s historic decision to raise its collective defense spending target to 5% of GDP by 2035, with Turkish officials confirming that the country is already exceeding the previous 2% threshold. The move signals Ankara’s growing commitment to both strategic deterrence in the face of Russian aggression and regional counterterrorism cooperation.
Türkiye Among Top NATO Contributors
A senior Turkish Defense Ministry official said Thursday that Türkiye, home to NATO’s second-largest standing army, has not only met but surpassed the 2% defense spending threshold, reinforcing its position among the top five contributors to alliance missions.
“Türkiye is above the 2% target criterion. We continue to meet NATO’s capability targets and are heavily investing in defense research and industrial development,” the source said.
Central to this effort is Türkiye’s national “Steel Dome” initiative, a domestic air defense network designed to counter emerging threats, including hypersonic, ballistic, and cruise missiles. The country is also investing in unmanned platforms, next-gen tanks, frigates, and aircraft carriers.
NATO Revamps Defense Budget Metrics
The new 5% target marks a fundamental shift in how NATO measures military readiness. The revised goal breaks down into:
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3.5% for core defense spending
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1.5% for civil infrastructure and resilience (such as roads, ports, and cyber defense)
Crucially, the new formula allows members to include military aid to Ukraine, which may ease the burden on some countries. Still, several allies like Spain, Slovakia, Belgium, France, and Italy have voiced concerns or openly resisted the plan.
A progress review is scheduled for 2029, shortly after the next U.S. presidential election.
Trump Endorses NATO Spending Plan
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, attending the NATO summit in The Hague, welcomed the commitment, stating:
“They want to protect their country, and they need the United States. Without the U.S., it’s not going to be the same.”
Trump, who previously questioned NATO’s Article 5 collective defense clause, said he left the summit believing “these people really love their countries” and were no longer exploiting American support.
Türkiye Leads Anti-Daesh Regional Coalition
On the regional front, Türkiye is stepping up efforts to combat Daesh following a suicide bombing at a Damascus church that killed 25 civilians. Turkish officials condemned the attack as a crime against humanity, pledging full support for regional stability.
“We have deployed personnel to a joint anti-Daesh operations center in Syria,” a defense ministry official confirmed. “A multilateral structure is forming to fight Daesh with Syria, Iraq, and Jordan.”
This initiative marks a significant shift, as Türkiye coordinates directly with the Syrian government, following Assad’s ouster in December. Intelligence sharing and joint operations will be integral to this four-country coalition.
PKK Disarmament Under Scrutiny
Ministry officials also addressed the PKK’s declared disarmament, a milestone in Türkiye’s long-running domestic conflict with the militant group. While the U.S. and its allies continue to support YPG/PKK-linked forces in Syria under the pretext of anti-Daesh operations, Ankara remains cautious.
“We are monitoring the PKK’s dissolution closely,” the source said. “The Turkish Armed Forces are taking all necessary steps to ensure our national security is preserved.”
The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Türkiye, the U.S., the EU, and the U.K., has waged a decades-long insurgency that has claimed over 40,000 lives.
Türkiye Flexes Strategic Muscle
With its defense spending exceeding NATO’s prior benchmarks and leading a regional anti-terror alliance, Türkiye is positioning itself as both a military powerhouse within NATO and a security guarantor in the Middle East. As NATO’s priorities shift in response to Russian aggression and transnational threats like Daesh, Ankara appears determined to play a decisive and self-reliant role.