NEW YORK, July 2. /TASS/. Turkey’s role in NATO is expanding as European countries seek to reduce their reliance on US military support and boost their own defense capabilities, Bloomberg reported.

According to the media outlet, Ankara is becoming an increasingly important member of the alliance as it strengthens its defense industry and arms exports. Turkish companies supply NATO allies with a wide range of goods, including drones, armored equipment, ships, training and combat aircraft, and electronic warfare systems.

Bloomberg pointed out that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan planned to take advantage of the upcoming NATO summit to strengthen his country’s position within the bloc. The news agency noted that Ankara sought a fairer distribution of defense spending among allies and the lifting of restrictions on trade in military goods.

Bloomberg emphasized that in 2024, about 56% of Turkish defense exports went to the United States, European countries, and other NATO allies. Notably, the Turkish defense industry’s foreign sales have gone up fourfold since 2020, reaching about $10 billion a year.

Bloomberg added that was playing a bigger role as European countries sought to reconsider their security approaches amid a declining US military presence in the region and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.