Turkey is considering joining Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in a new defense alliance modeled after NATO, officials say. Turkish mediaThis development is expected to bring about a "new security architecture" and have a significant impact on regional balances.
Reports indicate that talks on Ankara's involvement have entered an advanced stage and that reaching an agreement is very likely. The initiative follows the signing, in September, of a defense pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which stipulates that any attack on one will be considered aggression against all - a principle that directly reflects NATO's Article 5.
According to sources close to the negotiations, Turkey sees the alliance as a means to enhance national security and deter potential threats. This orientation is also linked to growing doubts about the credibility of the United States and uncertainties about President Donald Trump's commitment to NATO, an organization of which Turkey has been a member for decades.
Security expert Nihat Ali Ozcan from the TEPAV institute in Ankara estimates that all three states would benefit significantly from such cooperation, considering the strategic assets each brings.
Saudi Arabia contributes significant financial capacity thanks to its energy wealth; Pakistan is the only Muslim state equipped with nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and a sizeable army; while Turkey offers extensive combat experience and an advanced military industry, especially in the field of drones, such as Bayraktars. “Changes in regional dynamics are forcing states to seek new forms of security partnerships,” Ozcan points out, writing bloomberg.
Turkey's possible inclusion in the pact also signals a new phase in relations between Ankara and Riyadh. After the outbreak of the Arab Spring in 2011, Turkey aligned itself with Qatar and supported the Muslim Brotherhood, which led to clashes with Saudi Arabia, which declared the movement a terrorist organization in 2014.
Tensions peaked during the 2017 Riyadh-led blockade of Qatar. However, there have been notable steps towards rapprochement in recent years. In a sign of this normalization, the Turkish Defense Ministry confirmed that the navies of Turkey and Saudi Arabia held their first meeting in Ankara this week.
For Pakistan, the alliance comes at a delicate moment. After a brief clash with India in May and rising tensions with the Taliban government in Afghanistan in October, Islamabad is seeking stronger strategic support. Pakistani authorities accuse India and Afghanistan of supporting the Pakistani Taliban branch (TTP), which has stepped up attacks inside the country, including the recent suicide bombing of a court in Islamabad. /Telegraph/
