A rash of drone sightings and airspace violations attributed to Russia has raised security fears in Europe. EU leaders have already agreed to significantly increase defense spending. Many view NATO member Turkey as a vital partner.

Brussels

The European Union is exploring closer defense cooperation with Turkey in response to heightened security threats from Russia, including recent drone disruptions at European airports. Turkey, a NATO member with a rapidly advancing defense industry, is viewed as a key partner due to its strategic location and technological capabilities, such as its production of military drones used by Ukraine and several EU countries.

While Turkey has signaled willingness to participate in European defense initiatives, such as the EU's SAVE program, longstanding political disputes and concerns over democratic backsliding persist. Despite these challenges, the urgency of security needs appears to be driving the EU and Turkey toward deeper collaboration.

EU looking to deepen defense ties with Turkey

Mysterious drone flights have paralyzed European airports in recent weeks and lend urgency to plans to beef up the continent's defenses against Russia. Russia will not stop until they are forced to do so. This may require even closer cooperation with a difficult partner. Our defense industry which is a source of pride for our country is literally making history in every area. That's not just bluster from the Turkish president. He has a lot to offer for the protection of Europe. Turkey is southeast of the EU, located on the strategically important Black Sea which borders both Russia and Ukraine. It's a member of NATO with the alliance's second largest army to the US and a rapidly growing defense industry. In many ways it's ideal for European customers experts say. The EU and its member countries and its companies need close proximity, high technology, cost-effective supply chains for ammunition, for technology that's linked to defense. Essentially Turkey fulfills a lot of those criteria and as a result is an obvious candidate for defense and security cooperation. The country's defense industry knows this and is flexing its muscles like here at this recent aerospace and technology festival in Istanbul. Turkey is currently developing its own highly advanced fighter jets and has become one of the world's biggest producers of military drones. Bayraktar TB2 drones have helped Ukraine's war effort and have also been bought by EU countries like Poland and Romania. Defense industry representatives tell us they stand ready to meet European needs. And there are signs Turkey is becoming more important for European security. In September, Turkey sent a warning and control aircraft to Lithuania as part of NATO security measures following airspace violations by Russia. Ankara has also signaled readiness to deploy forces to Ukraine in a potential European-led peacekeeping mission, despite Turkey's close ties with Moscow. And Turkey has shown interest in joining the EU's SAVE program, a 150 billion euro loan scheme aimed at boosting defense spending across member states. It's important to mention that Turkey is welcome. It is regarded as a country that can partake in the SAVE program and that's a big improvement because that was not a certainty a few years back. But President Erdogan is not an easy partner for Europe. Ankara's long-standing disputes with Greece and Cyprus still fester and Erdogan maintains strong ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Domestic democratic backsliding has meant Turkey's membership talks with the EU have been on hold for years now. And yet an unprecedented legal crackdown over the last year against Turkey's main opposition has not prompted significant European criticism. What has changed? I don't think that the question of democracy is very much what shifted. I think the question of security is what shifted because there is this overarching threat from Russia. One major concern is of course judicial independence, democracy and the protection of investments. When political opposition disappears, there is a risk for your euro that's invested. A partnership that comes with risks. But with security fears in Europe pressing in, closer defense cooperation with Turkey is likely to move ahead.

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