site.btaTurkish Chief Diplomat Says Turkiye Must Be Prepared for Potential US Withdrawal from European Security

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkiye must be prepared for a potential withdrawal of the United States from its role in European and global security, adding that NATO and Europe are functioning as separate security systems.

Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Saturday, Fidan said the US is no longer willing to shoulder the responsibilities of the international system as it has in the past, a shift that weakens both the system itself and stability in various regions worldwide. He warned that urgent steps are needed to prevent the deepening of existing crises and the emergence of new areas of tension.

Both the European Union and NATO remain important security frameworks for Turkiye, and discussions are ongoing on how to manage a possible US withdrawal from Europe's security architecture, as well as how to mitigate the potential consequences, Fidan said.

He said a potential US withdrawal from the international security system should not be seen as a solution. Ankara is assessing how to reduce the impact of a partial US disengagement from Europe's security framework, he said, stressing that any such move should be manageable and not disruptive to the continent.

Fidan said EU Member States are "acting like a separate club". In other words, foreign and defence ministers take decisions within NATO, but EU ministers meet separately and do not attach much importance when comparing the decisions taken within their own institutions with those adopted in NATO.

He also said the war in Iran has pushed peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine into the background.

On the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Fidan held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, with the two sides signing a 2026-2027 Consultative Action Plan.

During meetings at the forum, Fidan also discussed issues related to Gaza and the Balkans.