Turkish, Greek defence chiefs discuss regional, security issues in Brussels

Türkiye's National Defence Minister Hulusi Akar has met with his Greek counterpart Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos as part of NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels.

During the meeting on Thursday at NATO’s headquarters, the duo discussed regional defence and security issues.

The Turkish defence minister also met with his US, German, French and British counterparts.

Following the meeting of the Nuclear Planning Group, Akar separately met with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin and German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht.

Akar also held a bilateral meeting with French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, and before the family photo shoot of the NATO defence ministers, he had a conversation with British Defence Minister Ben Wallace.

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'Türkiye restrictions weaken Euro-Atlantic security'

During his meetings, Akar stressed that Türkiye, as a member of NATO for over 70 years and with the second largest army, contributed greatly to the Euro-Atlantic security and that export restrictions on Türkiye weakened Euro-Atlantic security.

Moreover, Akar reiterated Türkiye’s call for solidarity in the fight against all kinds of terrorist groups, particularly the PKK/YPG terror group.

Touching on Türkiye’s support for Ukraine and efforts to ensure a ceasefire, Akar also stressed the importance of diplomacy with regard to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

His counterparts thanked Akar for Türkiye’s active role in achieving the grain corridor deal, the solution to the global food crisis and the role it played in the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine.

Bilateral, regional defence and security issues and cooperation in the defence industry were also discussed during his meetings.

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