Czech President Petr Pavel said that Turkey, due to its geographical location and military potential, is a strategically important and indispensable ally for NATO's collective security.
Pavel, who came to Turkey to attend the 36th NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government in Ankara, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Turkey is also an important partner for Czechia, and that deepening bilateral relations in trade, investment, defense, security and science would take ties to a new level.
Defense cooperation
Pavel highlighted the high level of development of the Czech and especially Turkish defense industries, and expressed satisfaction with the expanding cooperation between companies in air defense and counter-drone technologies. He noted that the bilateral defense partnership could develop on this basis.
The Czech leader said, 'Turkey, thanks to its geographical location and military potential, is a strategically important, indispensable ally for NATO's collective security. We appreciate its contribution to the Alliance and look forward to strengthening our cooperation in the face of modern common security threats.' He added that cooperation between the European Union and Turkey on energy, transport and migration could also be strengthened.
Europe's defense burden
Responding to a question on defense burden-sharing within NATO, Pavel stated that Europe must take more responsibility for its own defense and security. He said, 'We can no longer proceed from the assumption that someone else will always take on this responsibility for us. At the same time, a stronger European pillar means a stronger NATO. We want the US to continue to stand firmly by our side.'
Recalling that the Czech government has committed to allocating at least 2 percent of GDP to defense this year and increasing that to 3.5 percent by 2035, Pavel pointed to the importance of political will and resources to implement these plans.
Stressing that they must adapt to the reality that the US will increasingly focus on other priorities, Pavel said, 'Europe must be ready not only to take greater responsibility for its own security, but also to assume full responsibility in the conventional domain. There must be no doubt about the deterrence and defense of every inch of allied territory.'
The Czech President added that maintaining support for Ukraine and achieving a lasting peace would be one of the main criteria for success.
