Erdoğan: Türkiye neutralizes threats at source beyond borders without permission

2026-02-19 - 20:52

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan affirmed Türkiye's proactive security doctrine Thursday, stating that Ankara neutralizes threats at their source beyond national borders without seeking external permission. Speaking at an iftar program with families of martyrs at Çankaya Mansion, Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye now takes all necessary steps both within and beyond its frontiers to ensure national security. Counterterrorism Progress and Vision Erdoğan reported significant advances in the 16-month-old "terror-free Türkiye" initiative, noting a "serious decrease in security risks directed at our country, both within and beyond our borders." He expressed determination to permanently rid Türkiye of the terrorist scourge that has "burned the hearts of our nation for nearly half a century," crediting operations by armed forces and security units for severely restricting terrorist organizations' mobility. Defense Industry Transformation The president highlighted Türkiye's defense industry evolution from approximately 80% foreign dependency to nearly 80% domestic production capability. "Today, we can meet almost all our needs ourselves in nearly every field, including uncrewed aerial vehicles, armed UAVs, missiles, rockets, ships, helicopters and tanks," Erdoğan stated, adding that fighter jets and aircraft carriers represent the next frontier. This self-sufficiency underpins Türkiye's capacity for autonomous security operations. Syrian Developments Erdoğan noted positive developments in neighboring Syria, revealing that an agreement was reached last month to resolve the situation in northern Syria without bloodshed, with the process toward full integration now underway. The progress aligns with Ankara's broader regional security objectives and contributes to reducing cross-border threats against Türkiye.