Published On 7/8/2026
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Last update: 7/9/2026 00:18 (Mecca time)
From “Blue Homeland” to the music of the “Muhtar” choir, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent remarkable messages at the conclusion of the NATO leaders’ summit, today, Wednesday, in Ankara, before he addressed the files of US sanctions, F-35 fighters, and developments in the Middle East.
“For us, the Blue Homeland is a very important topic, and we will continue to use this title,” Erdogan said. With this slogan, Türkiye summarizes its maritime and economic ambitions and its diplomatic and military audacity in the surrounding waters.
A draft law with this name is currently being worked on to confirm Turkey’s adherence to its rights and powers in internal waters, territorial waters, the contiguous zone, the continental shelf, and the exclusive economic zone, especially in light of the maritime disputes with Greece, a member of NATO.
On the other hand, Erdogan recalled the atmosphere of receiving NATO leaders with the performances of the “Al-Muhtar” choir, a musical group whose name was associated with the Janissary army in the Ottoman era, saying that “everyone praised it and said during the handshake that it was wonderful. Some of them even said: We know your Janissaries.”
In a personal gesture of a cultural nature, Erdogan presented a gift to the leaders participating in the 36th Summit of Heads of State and Government of NATO: the book “Politics of Courage… Erdogan and the Rise of Turkey,” accompanied by a special letter signed by him.
The book, which was prepared in English, deals with the modern political history of Turkey through Erdogan’s political career, reviewing the critical decision-making milestones and challenges that the country faced.
End sanctions
In another aspect of his speech, Erdogan spoke about the relationship with the United States and military cooperation, stressing that Washington is currently no longer imposing any sanctions on his country.
In this regard, he said that most of the US sanctions “have already been lifted, and we do not face any problem in this regard.”
Regarding Türkiye’s efforts to buy American F-35 fighters, Erdogan stated that US President Donald Trump “adopted a positive approach towards Türkiye.”
He said, “When these fighters are delivered to our country, the world will say that the United States has fulfilled its promise.”
Yesterday, Tuesday, while sitting next to Erdogan, Trump announced that he would lift sanctions on Türkiye and would make a decision regarding the possible sale of F-35 aircraft to it.
Erdogan criticized the opposition of Israel and Greece to Türkiye’s purchase of F-35 aircraft, saying that this opposition “has no place in my world.”
The Turkish President stressed his country’s right to purchase aircraft and military equipment, stressing that it is holding talks in this regard.
Defense Cooperation and Steel Dome
On the other hand, Erdogan called for lifting restrictions imposed on the defense sector among NATO members.
He said that Türkiye had taken the necessary measures to reach the alliance’s goal of allocating 5% of GDP to defense spending by 2030.
He confirmed that it had allocated an additional budget of $24 billion to its “Steel Dome” project in order to strengthen the alliance’s air and missile defenses.
The Turkish President said, “If some have different domes, we have the Steel Dome, and this project is one of the most prominent elements of NATO’s strength in our region.”
Regarding the Iranian file, Erdogan stressed that his country is doing everything in its power to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying: “We do not want the Strait to turn into a lake of war.”
He stressed the need to end tension in the Middle East and maintain the necessary will to resolve the outstanding issues.
In his speech, Erdogan touched on the Gaza issue, stressing that his country persistently raised this issue during the NATO summit.
In this regard, he said, “We see what is happening in Gaza as a disaster for the Middle East, and peace and calm must be established there as soon as possible.”
