Türkiye and France signed a roadmap aimed at developing their defense and security relations on the basis of mutual interests and giving their existing cooperation a more institutional structure.
The Ministry of National Defence provided information about the roadmap following its weekly press briefing at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard Command in Kocaeli.
Scope of cooperation to be expanded
The roadmap provides for the establishment of regular consultation mechanisms on defense and security issues, cooperation in combating hybrid threats and enhanced intelligence sharing. It also aims to strengthen cooperation in air defense and interoperability between systems.
It envisages the coordinated implementation of training activities in third countries that will contribute to regional stability. The plan includes increasing joint military training, developing personnel exchange programs between military academies, organizing port visits and conducting joint exercises involving land, naval and air forces.
First meeting planned for the last quarter of 2026
The roadmap also aims to increase contacts between the defense industry organizations of the two countries, develop joint projects and commercial opportunities, and encourage the transfer of knowledge and technology.
The roadmap is intended to make contacts between the defense authorities of the two countries regular. In this context, meetings are planned to be held alternately in Paris and Ankara, with the first meeting scheduled for the last quarter of 2026 by mutual agreement between the parties.
The document is expected to give Türkiye-France defense and security relations a more institutional structure, strengthen mutual trust and contribute to regional peace and stability.
Mecca Defense Alliance meeting
The Ministry of National Defence also provided information about the meeting of the Strategic, Political and Defense Committee of the Mecca Defense Alliance, held on October 5 in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
The meeting addressed regional developments and collective defense measures, established the alliance secretariat's initial structure and discussed a framework for developing cooperation in the defense industry. Progress was made toward institutionalizing the alliance, the ministry said.
Following the meeting, it was decided to continue work on other mechanisms in the political, administrative, military and defense industry fields. Measures for deploying the military forces and capabilities agreed upon in Saudi Arabia were also discussed.
The process concerning the military forces and capabilities that Türkiye may provide will be conducted in line with the Constitution and the provisions of relevant legislation.
Statement on developments in southern Syria
The Ministry of National Defence said Israel was continuing house raids, arbitrary detentions, violations of the land border, and air and artillery attacks in settlements in southern Syria, assessing that these actions were increasing tensions in the region.
Ministry of National Defence Press Spokesperson Zeki Aktürk said that restarting trench-digging and road-widening work under the project known as the “Sufa-53 Line” constituted an explicit violation of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. Aktürk argued that this showed Israel was continuing its expansionist policy.
Aktürk also said that turning a blind eye to violations and provocations by Israeli settlers and Jewish extremists at holy sites was increasing tensions in the region. He reiterated Türkiye's call on the international community to take concrete and decisive steps against the policies of the Israeli government, which Türkiye assesses as obstructing the establishment of regional peace and stability.
