Create an account Reset password Already have an account? Log in From now on you can download videos from our website If you would also like to subscribe to the newsletter and receive our latest updates, click on the button below. Enter the email address you registered with and we will send you a code to reset your password. The password must be at least 12 characters long, no spaces, include upper/lowercase letters,...
Create an account Reset password Already have an account? Log in From now on you can download videos from our website If you would also like to subscribe to the newsletter and receive our latest updates, click on the button below. Enter the email address you registered with and we will send you a code to reset your password. The password must be at least 12 characters long, no spaces, include upper/lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Click the button to return to the page you were on and log in with your new password. 22 April 2026 4 MIN READ Well, I must say, I'm extremely impressed by what I've seen this morning. So really, to the company thank you so much. To the Secretary of the Türkiye’s defence industry, again thank you so much for hosting and for being here today, and we see each other tomorrow in Brussels. And again, I'm really deeply impressed. The people, first of all, I mean you, but also when it comes to the technologies you produce, yeah, what we need - and this is why this visit for me is so important - is to accelerate the defence industrial production, but also the defence industrial innovation. And companies like these are combining these two elements, the production and the innovation. It is a top priority for NATO. It will also be one of the key subjects at the NATO summit in Ankara, which will take place in July. Of course, we will celebrate that we are able, collectively, to increase the defence spending. But defence industrial production will be extremely important because we have to do better, we have to do more, and we can learn a lot from what Türkiye is doing here. And this is needed because we live in a more dangerous world. I don't have to tell you this, but maybe through all the journalists here let me also say this to the audiences at home: we live, and of course they also know, in a more dangerous world, and that means we need strong defences to protect our security. We need the best capabilities, we need to incorporate the latest technologies. And we need, therefore, the most creative and the most innovative minds. And therefore I'm so happy that you are here and that you made the choice as young people to work in the defence industry. Everything you do here helps keep Türkiye safe, but it also helps to keep the whole Alliance safe, with Türkiye as a highly valuable Ally. I've said it before: Türkiye has gone through a defence industrial revolution. I could really say it is a revolution in recent years. ASELSAN is at the forefront of this. So please keep it up. Produce and innovate even more and faster. The dangers we are facing are great, from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, from outer-space to the seabed, from missiles and drones to sophisticated cyber-attacks. Russia's war against Ukraine rages on. China's military modernization and nuclear expansion, they continue. And Iran is spreading terror and chaos, and you feel this prominently here in Türkiye. In recent weeks, NATO has successfully intercepted ballistic missiles heading to Türkiye from Iran on four separate occasions. NATO is prepared for such threats, and will always do what is necessary to defend Türkiye and all Allies. But we can't do it alone. Keeping 1 billion people safe across Europe and North America is not a job for NATO and Allied militaries alone. Our industry, and I come back to you, has a responsibility here too. Our political leaders across NATO made a commitment to spend more on defence, and now, indeed, more money is flowing in the defence sector. And that's great. But money alone, as I said, will not keep us safe. The air defence systems, the drones, the ammunition, the radars, the space capabilities and more: that's what will keep us safe. And you develop groundbreaking technologies in this company, but I see it all over Türkiye’s defence industrial base. And you do it for many of these capabilities, and it is what we need. We also need the defence industry across Europe and North America, and this is from, literally, from Alaska to Ankara, to continue to produce together, to innovate together, and to buy from each other. Just recently, as you know, ASELSAN sold advanced electronic warfare systems to Poland. You have started operations in Albania and Romania, and you have equipped a vessel for the Croatian Navy. So I'm glad to address you, the young engineers who make all of this possible. My understanding is that the average age at ASELSAN – it says here – is only 33. But if I'm right, it is even younger, it's 28. Except for the fact that you have a very old CEO. No, no, you are very young yourself. You are very young yourself. So it's really amazing the average age in this company. And it makes me, at least, feel very old. So if we are to step up our production over the long term, we need more young people to choose a career in defence. I’m happy to hear that this company is able to attract the best people in Türkiye, but we need all the companies to do that. And we need young people to make that choice when it comes to their careers. Governments and companies therefore need to invest in training; they need to invest in education to enable all this. And you here are the shining example of how young people contribute to our collective security. So let me end by saying that transatlantic industrial cooperation comes with great benefits for your businesses, for your economy, and first of all, for your and therefore for our collective security. It's a winning way forward, and it is a key priority for the Ankara Summit. Thank you so much, and I hope to have still a couple of minutes to speak to a few of you. But this is really very inspiring to be here today. Thank you so much. Link was copied to clipboard GALLERIES NATO Secretary General visits Türkiye 21 April 2026 - 22 April 2026 1 / 24 NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrives in Ankara, Türkiye NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrives in Ankara, Türkiye NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with General Yaşar Güler, Minister of National Defence of Türkiye NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with General Yaşar Güler, Minister of National Defence of Türkiye NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with General Yaşar Güler, Minister of National Defence of Türkiye NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with General Yaşar Güler, Minister of National Defence of Türkiye NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visits the facilities of ASELSAN NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visits the facilities of ASELSAN NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visits the facilities of ASELSAN NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visits the facilities of ASELSAN NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visits the facilities of ASELSAN NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with young engineers NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with young engineers NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with young engineers NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte with Haluk Görgün, Secretary of Turkish Defence Industries NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte with Ahmet Akyol, CEO of ASELSAN and Haluk Görgün, Secretary of Turkish Defence Industries NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte with Ahmet Akyol, CEO of ASELSAN and Haluk Görgün, Secretary of Turkish Defence Industries NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Türkiye NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Türkiye Back VIEW METADATA VIEW IMAGE Assets details Description Creation date Location Themes Reference Resolution Aspect radio Format Usage right Credit GALLERIES NATO Secretary General visits Türkiye Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 NATO Secretary General visits Türkiye Speech by the NATO Secretary General at the Aselsan defense industry company in Türkiye View usage rights Usage rights CLOSE This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is restricted for use for other purposes. Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 NATO Secretary General visits Türkiye NATO Secretary General meets with the Minister of National Defence of Türkiye View usage rights Usage rights CLOSE This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is restricted for use for other purposes. Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 NATO Secretary General visits Türkiye NATO Secretary General visits ASELSAN View usage rights Usage rights CLOSE This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is restricted for use for other purposes. Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 NATO Secretary General visits Türkiye NATO Secretary General visits ASELSAN View usage rights Usage rights CLOSE NATO has the sole copyright for these photos and a credit mention is required should images be used. Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 NATO Secretary General visits Türkiye NATO Secretary General meets with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye View usage rights Usage rights CLOSE This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is restricted for use for other purposes. Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 NATO Secretary General visits Türkiye NATO Secretary General meets with the President of Türkiye View usage rights Usage rights CLOSE This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is restricted for use for other purposes. TITLE DATE DURATION Speech by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Aselsan defense industry company in Türkiye 0:00 / 0:00 Audio Language Selection: Audio Language Selection: Download Playback speed Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Download Playback speed Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Speech by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to young engineers at ASELSAN Technology Base
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