Erdoğan says Türkiye, Poland aim to deepen cooperation ahead of NATO summit

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," adding that Türkiye considers stronger transatlantic ties, supported by greater burden-sharing among European allies, essential.

The Turkish president further added that 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 also 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.

For his part, Nawrocki said cooperation between Türkiye and Poland carries strategic importance and that bilateral ties continue to expand across various fields, including the defense industry.

Emphasizing that friendship between the two countries dates back centuries, the Polish president said he will attend the upcoming NATO summit and congratulated Türkiye on hosting the alliance's meeting in Ankara.