Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
at the NATO summit held in The Hague, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asked French President Emmanuel Macron to lift the political obstacles that continue to block the sale and co-production of the Eurosam SAMP/T surface-to-air missile system. The issue was raised during bilateral discussions between the two leaders, in which Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye, as NATO’s second-largest land army and among the top five contributors to the alliance’s operations, must be allowed to participate in European defense initiatives.
Turkish officials stated that a favorable decision by Macron would unlock further progress in Türkiye’s efforts to operationalize its national multilayered air defense shield, known as the Steel Dome, within the next two to three years. Erdoğan also used the occasion to urge NATO leaders to give non-EU NATO members, such as Türkiye, a role in shaping the future of the European defense framework. Türkiye’s push to finalize the SAMP/T deal has gained momentum in the context of increasing regional threats. Following the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran earlier this year, Ankara expanded production of its domestically developed medium- and long-range missile systems.
at the NATO summit held in The Hague, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asked French President Emmanuel Macron to lift the political obstacles that continue to block the sale and co-production of the Eurosam SAMP/T surface-to-air missile system. The issue was raised during bilateral discussions between the two leaders, in which Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye, as NATO’s second-largest land army and among the top five contributors to the alliance’s operations, must be allowed to participate in European defense initiatives.
Turkish officials stated that a favorable decision by Macron would unlock further progress in Türkiye’s efforts to operationalize its national multilayered air defense shield, known as the Steel Dome, within the next two to three years. Erdoğan also used the occasion to urge NATO leaders to give non-EU NATO members, such as Türkiye, a role in shaping the future of the European defense framework. Türkiye’s push to finalize the SAMP/T deal has gained momentum in the context of increasing regional threats. Following the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran earlier this year, Ankara expanded production of its domestically developed medium- and long-range missile systems.
