Türkiye and France have formalized a new road map to bolster their defence and security cooperation, focusing on areas such as intelligence sharing, air defence, military training, and joint defence industry projects. This strategic initiative, announced by Türkiye’s Defence Ministry, aims to create a more structured framework for bilateral collaboration, emphasizing shared interests between the two nations.
The agreement outlines plans for regular security consultations, enhanced coordination against hybrid threats, and improved interoperability between the defence systems of both countries. Additionally, Türkiye and France will engage in joint training and capacity-building activities in third countries, contributing to regional stability. Military cooperation is set to expand through personnel exchanges at military academies, joint port visits, and exercises involving land, naval, and air forces.
Furthermore, the road map includes the development of joint defence projects, promotion of technology and information sharing, and increased cooperation between defence companies from both nations. Bilateral defence meetings will be held alternately in the respective capitals, with the first meeting scheduled for the final quarter of 2026.
In a separate development, Türkiye criticized Israel’s military actions in southern Syria. Defence Ministry spokesperson Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk accused Israel of violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement through activities such as raids, detentions, and air and artillery strikes. Aktürk called on the international community to take action to safeguard regional peace and stability.
Aktürk also noted ongoing confidence-building measures between Türkiye and Greece, with military delegations from both countries continuing exchanges and discussions as part of their 2026 Confidence-Building Measures Implementation Plan.
On the domestic front, Türkiye’s Defence Ministry reported that one member of the PKK surrendered in the past week. Additionally, Turkish security forces apprehended 660 individuals attempting illegal border crossings and prevented another 1,383 from crossing. Since the beginning of 2026, authorities have apprehended 13,366 people attempting unauthorized crossings and prevented 53,870 others from entering illegally.