NATO Deputy Secretary General: Turkey is Witnessing a Real Industrial Revolution for Years

NATO Deputy Secretary General Iyvanka Schikerinska described Turkey as witnessing "a real industrial revolution for years," during a session titled "NATO and Europe: Security Architecture in the Wake of the Ankara Summit" held as part of the Turkish-European Business Summit in Brussels, in collaboration between the Council of Foreign Economic Relations and the European Business Summit.

Schikerinska announced, according to Anadolu Agency, that European allies and Canada allocated more than $250 billion in additional defense spending during 2025 and 2026, describing it as "a rational response to a security environment that has undergone radical change in recent years."

She pointed out that the Ankara summit held on July 7 and 8 witnessed the transformation of commitments issued from the Hague summit into actual capabilities, with an expansion in the scope of responsibilities borne by European allies and Canada. She also stated that approximately $50 billion in contracts were announced and signed in Ankara.

Schikerinska warned that the primary goal is not limited to raising spending, but extends to deploying these resources to build genuine capabilities. Turkey's permanent ambassador to NATO, Başat Öztürk, participated in the same session.