Turkey Ready to Join Multinational Force in Gaza

Turkey's Minister of National Defense, Yaşar Güler, summarizing the results of the NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels, made statements that emphasize Ankara's growing ambitions both within the alliance and in the Middle East. The most noteworthy statement was the readiness of the Turkish armed forces to participate in a multinational task force to be created in Gaza.

Güler noted that Turkey welcomes the ceasefire established in Gaza and hopes it will become the beginning of a just solution based on the "two-state" principle. He stressed the importance of the full implementation of the ceasefire regime and the provision of uninterrupted humanitarian aid, confirming that Turkey is ready to participate in efforts to ensure stability in the region. Speaking about Turkey's role within NATO, Güler recalled that their country is among the top five in the alliance in terms of troop numbers and is making significant investments in military modernization, committing to maintain the 5% threshold for defense spending.

In addition to the general sessions, Yaşar Güler held a series of bilateral and trilateral meetings in Brussels. He had discussions with the UK Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey, and also met in a trilateral format with his counterparts from Romania and Bulgaria.

The minister also participated in the sessions of the NATO-Ukraine Council and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, reaffirming Turkey's continued support for Kyiv.