Turkey supports NATO's decision to more than double its defense spending to five percent of GDP by 2035, already exceeding the previous two percent target, a Turkish Defense Ministry source said today, quoted by Reuters, BTA reported.
Yesterday, NATO allies agreed to raise their collective spending target to five percent of gross domestic product over the next decade, citing the long-term threat posed by Russia and the need to strengthen civilian and military resilience.
"Turkey is above the two percent target benchmark for defense spending commitments," the source said. "As the second largest army in NATO, Turkey is among the five largest contributors to the alliance's operations and missions," he added.
The source also said that Turkey has met all its NATO capability goals and continues to invest in defense industry development and research. It plans to expand the multi-layered air defense network across the country, centered around the national "Steel Dome" project.
"We are investing in air defense systems, hypersonic, ballistic and cruise missiles, unmanned ground, sea and air systems, as well as next-generation aircraft carriers, frigates and tanks," the source said.
NATO's new target includes at least 3.5 percent of GDP for core defense spending, with the rest to be spent on security-related infrastructure to improve civilian preparedness and resilience.