Türkiye's defense minister hosts Qatari counterpart in Ankara

Official talks in capital

Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler received his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the ministry's headquarters in Ankara on Thursday, with the two officials discussing defense ties and regional security developments following an official military welcoming ceremony. The Qatari minister traveled to the Turkish capital at the invitation of Ankara, according to a statement posted by the National Defense Ministry on NSosyal.

Defense cooperation agenda

Guler and Al Thani reviewed existing bilateral military frameworks and exchanged views on regional security developments during their consultations at the ministry complex. The meeting focused on strengthening defense industry collaboration and enhancing coordination between the two countries' armed forces, the ministry said. Both officials emphasized the importance of maintaining institutional dialogue mechanisms between their respective militaries.

Ankara and Doha maintain close defense relations, with Türkiye operating a permanent military base in Qatar and both nations regularly conducting joint training exercises. Thursday's talks represent the latest high-level engagement between the NATO member and the Gulf state as both countries seek to expand strategic coordination amid evolving security dynamics in the region.