Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Tuesday that Türkiye and Poland are working to strengthen cooperation as two indispensable NATO allies in Europe's security and defense architecture.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Ankara with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, Erdoğan said: "Strengthening NATO's European pillar and reinforcing the alliance's deterrence are our shared priorities ahead of the NATO summit to be held in Ankara on July 7-8."
Türkiye, he added, considers stronger transatlantic ties, supported by greater burden-sharing among European allies, essential.
The president said Türkiye remains committed to advancing cooperation with the EU on the basis of mutual benefit, and thanked Poland for its support for Ankara's EU membership bid.
On bilateral ties, Erdoğan said Türkiye and Poland have set a new bilateral trade target of $15 billion after reaching their previous goal of $10 billion.
Poland is among the countries where Turkish contractors are most active, with projects worth nearly $9 billion, Erdoğan said, adding that he hopes this number will grow further.
He noted transportation as another key area of potential cooperation, saying the Three Seas Initiative offers an important platform with Poland's support.
He also highlighted defense industry cooperation as a major pillar of bilateral ties, recalling significant past partnerships in drones and other defense projects.
Turning to regional issues, he said: "One of the issues that must never be overshadowed in this context is the path toward lasting peace in Palestine and the Middle East."
On Palestine, Erdoğan said Ankara expects Poland to maintain its support for a two-state solution, noting that Warsaw is among the countries recognizing the state of Palestine.
"We also thoroughly discussed the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war and Iran-related issues during our meeting. We underlined the urgent need for peace in both areas," he added.
Nawrocki, for his part, said cooperation between Türkiye and Poland carries strategic importance and that bilateral ties continue to expand across various fields, including the defense industry.
Nawrocki added that he discussed a range of issues with the Turkish president, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war, stressing that Poland and Türkiye play vital roles within NATO.
Polish president said trade between Poland and Türkiye has continued to grow despite the Ukraine war. He emphasized that both countries are responsible for defending the alliance's flanks and described bilateral cooperation as strategically important, thanking Erdoğan for Türkiye's support and adding that their ties help strengthen NATO.
He also highlighted defense cooperation as a key area, noting discussions on expanding collaboration between the two countries' defense industries under a bilateral agreement signed last year.
Nawrocki said Polish soldiers use Bayraktar TB2 drones purchased from Türkiye and stressed Poland's commitment to maintaining and extending its military presence at Incirlik Air Base.
Emphasizing the centuries-old friendship between Poland and Türkiye, the Polish leader said he will attend the upcoming NATO summit and congratulated Türkiye on hosting the alliance's meeting in Ankara, expressing confidence that it would be productive.
After the news conference, Erdoğan hosted an official dinner in honor of Nawrocki.
