Türkiye marks 74th anniversary of NATO membership, highlights key role in alliance

By Merve Berker

Türkiye on Wednesday marked the 74th anniversary of its NATO membership, with statements from the National Defense Ministry and the Communications Directorate emphasizing the country’s leading role within the alliance.

In a post on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal shared under the title “74 years in NATO. Respected ally for world peace,” the National Defense Ministry said Türkiye has continued to make significant contributions to NATO since becoming a member on Feb. 18, 1952.

“As a country with NATO’s second-largest army, Türkiye ranks among the top five contributors to NATO through the support it provides to operations and missions,” the ministry said, adding that Türkiye will continue to make important contributions as a strong and reliable member of the alliance.

The Communications Directorate also highlighted Türkiye’s longstanding commitment to peace, stability, and collective defense within NATO for 74 years.

“Our country, with its strategic location, strong army and experience in crisis management, plays a critical role in ensuring deterrence within NATO, combating terrorism and safeguarding regional security,” the directorate said.

Under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Türkiye will continue contributing to NATO’s 2030 vision and strengthening collective security with its evolving defense technologies, cybersecurity capacity, and capabilities against next-generation threats, it added.