Riyadh: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) in Riyadh on Tuesday, signaling a major development in regional defense diplomacy. The meeting has drawn global attention—especially from Pakistan—which had hoped to bring Turkey and Saudi Arabia together in a NATO-style military alliance. Erdoğan, however, bypassed Islamabad, opting to speak directly with MBS.
According to Middle East Eye, Turkey and Saudi Arabia issued a joint declaration emphasizing defense cooperation. The statement reaffirmed their commitment to activating existing defense agreements, strengthening relations through multilateral platforms to enhance regional security and stability, and collaborating on counterterrorism and cybersecurity.
From Rivals to Strategic Partners
This visit marks Erdoğan’s first trip to Saudi Arabia in over two years, reflecting a dramatic improvement in relations between the two former rivals. Over recent years, Ankara and Riyadh have steadily enhanced cooperation on diplomatic issues, now extending into formal defense agreements.
Erdoğan’s decision not to join the Saudi-Pakistan defense partnership delivers a setback to Islamabad’s plans for an “Islamic NATO.” Pakistan had hoped to integrate Turkey into its regional defense initiatives alongside Saudi Arabia, but the direct Saudi-Turkish engagement has effectively sidelined its ambitions.
Challenges and Strategic Balance
Omar Karim, a Middle East specialist at the University of Birmingham, notes that Turkey must balance rapprochement with Riyadh alongside its relations with other regional rivals. This visit clarifies how much trust Saudi Arabia may place in Turkey amid its ongoing rivalry with the UAE and security concerns related to Israel.
The meeting also marks a milestone in Saudi-Turkish relations, which had been severely strained following the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. While tensions had dominated for years, both countries have steadily restored diplomatic and strategic ties over the past two years.
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