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NATO urged the European Union and Turkey to improve their relations, as US President Donald Trump retreated from the European security forces to the continent’s capitals to quickly rethink their alliances.

NATO Secretary -General Mark Retty urged the leaders of the European Union in particular to escalate participation with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after years of tense relations, according to officials who have seen his observations

It comes at a time when Brussels explores a way to increase cooperation with turkey And other European Union neighbors as part of the expansion of a huge range of European defense capabilities.

Trump’s threats to withdraw American security guarantees to European NATO allies and transfer him to restore relations with Russia and cut support to Ukraine have disturbed the capitals of the European Union. In addition to the rush to increase defense spending, some European Union capitals defended work in a “Al -Raghiba Alliance” With countries other than the European Union, such as Norway and the United Kingdom.

Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Vian, attended a gathering of the main military authorities in Europe in London earlier this month to discuss support for Ukrainian defense and wider defense issues.

This was followed by an appeal from Rat at a special lunch with the leaders of the European Union earlier in February, as it raised the importance of increasing cooperation with Turkey and urged those present to communicate with Ankara to make it work, according to three people in the discussion.

A spokesman for Roti, a former Dutch Prime Minister who sometimes clashed with Erdogan during his time in office, rejected the comment. NATO Secretary -General told the European Parliament in January that “the involvement of allies of the European Union in industrial efforts to defend the European Union is vital, I think, for the security of Europe.”

“Things are changing. At a certain stage of time, you need to decide who you want in your team, regardless of any problems you may face,” said one of the senior European Union officials regarding relations with Türkiye. “But they also need to sort their ambiguity on Russia.”

Türkiye did not join the European Union and other Western allies in imposing direct sanctions on Moscow in response to its wide invasion of Ukraine and maintained economic relations and strong energy with Russia. Athens indicated that Türkiye’s lack of participation in the sanctions system.

While the direct participation of the European Union in defense and security issues is limited to areas such as military movement and some peace and control tasks, the bloc has great financial tools to form the cooperation of the defense industry.

The important weapons industry in Türkiye is an element in a broader conflict between member states on whether defense companies in the third country should benefit from the European Union initiatives to increase weapons spending. Officials said the batch to increase participation with Ankara also aims at bilateral relations with the capitals of the European Union.

Türkiye is technically a candidate to join the European Union, but the process has long been a matter. The bloc has suspended the various channels of dialogue – including security and defense – in part to increase tensions with Greece.

One of the Greek diplomats said that Athens remained “cautious, not ideological” by increasing defense cooperation with Ankara. He added, “Türkiye must be constructive in dealing with distinguished issues with member states,” referring to Greece and Cyprus.

The Cypriots of the European Union’s member state, which has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded in the north in response to a coup inspired by Athens, which aims to unify the island with Greece, and is one of the biggest obstacles that prevent the deepening of relations. Turkish officials complain that the situation on an island is just over 1 million people has fun initiatives to expand cooperation in European security issues.

Many diplomats told the Financial Times that Trump’s arrival had turned views.

“We are currently defining the best path of work,” Fidan told FT last week when asked about Trump’s potential impact on the security arrangements for Europe. “If this leads to a new European security structure, we are ready to cooperate.”