Turkish defense industries chief holds bilateral talks at NATO summit

Türkiye’s Defense Industries Secretary Haluk Görgün held talks on Tuesday with senior officials from Spain, Poland and Japan on the sidelines of the NATO summit's Defense Industry Forum in Ankara. Görgün said on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal that he met Spain’s Deputy Defense Minister Maria-Amparo Valcarce and National Armaments Director Lt. Gen. Miguel Ivorra Ruiz, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. The meetings addressed steps to strengthen cooperation in the defense industry, according to Görgün.

Strategic partnerships

The meetings underscore Türkiye’s growing defense partnerships with key NATO allies and Asia-Pacific partners. Görgün’s talks with Spain come as the two countries cooperate on the HÜRJET jet trainer program, while discussions with Poland follow recent defense agreements. The meeting with Japan, which is attending the NATO summit for the first time as a defense minister, reflects Tokyo’s expanding engagement with the alliance and its partners. Görgün said: “We will continue to develop our cooperation with our allies and friendly countries on the basis of mutual trust and in line with our common interests.”

Summit context

The Defense Industry Forum, held as part of the NATO summit, has already seen Türkiye sign agreements in five strategic areas, including strike capabilities, integrated air and missile defense, space and surveillance, critical raw materials, and UAV superiority [citation needed]. The bilateral meetings reinforce Türkiye’s position as a key contributor to NATO’s industrial transformation and its role as a bridge between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific partners.