Erdogan tells Al Jazeera Egypt may join Mecca defence pact, EU accession no longer a priority, Trump promised F-35s

Egypt and the Mecca Agreement

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Al Jazeera that Egypt could join the joint defence agreement signed last Friday in Mecca by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Speaking on the programme Al Muqabala, set to air Sunday evening on Al Jazeera Arabic, Erdogan described Cairo's accession as "possible" and stressed the pact remains open to new members. The agreement, also called the Mecca Pact, was signed by Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It provides that an armed attack against any of the three signatories is considered an attack against all, a collective deterrence clause that analysts have compared to NATO's Article 5. Officials in Islamabad, however, cautioned that the deal should not be read as a NATO equivalent or as directed against any single country.

This agreement sent an important message to the world.

Walking away from the EU

On relations with the European Union, Erdogan signalled a clear shift in priorities. He diagnosed a lack of will on the EU side for Turkey's accession and said the European perspective is no longer a priority for Ankara, adding that Europe would ultimately be "the loser" from this development. The remarks amount to one of the bluntest dismissals of the long-stalled accession process by a Turkish leader in recent years.

F-35 and the Trump promise

Erdogan reiterated that he has received a promise from US President Donald Trump regarding the acquisition of F-35 fighter jets and said he expects it to be fulfilled. Turkey was expelled from the multinational F-35 programme in 2019 after taking delivery of the Russian-made S-400 air defence system, with Washington judging that coexistence of the two systems could compromise the stealth technology of the American aircraft. At the NATO summit in Ankara last month, Trump publicly stated that his administration intends to lift the CAATSA sanctions imposed on Turkey, leaving a window open for Ankara's return to the F-35 programme. Erdogan's comments suggest he intends to hold the US president to that commitment.

Hormuz, Syria, Gaza and Lebanon

Erdogan addressed a range of regional flashpoints, from the Strait of Hormuz to Syria, Gaza and Lebanon, presenting Turkey as a power seeking an active role in regional developments. He said reopening the Strait of Hormuz is a priority for Ankara, arguing that the prolonged closure of navigation serves no one's interests. He credited Qatar for the significant role it plays in mediation efforts toward a cessation of hostilities in the region. On Syria, Erdogan pledged that Turkey would do everything in its power to support stability, revealed plans to visit the country, and said Syria's Kurds would have "a share in peace and stability". He also said Turkey would continue to strengthen ties with Kurdish communities. Erdogan committed that Turkey would not leave its neighbours to face regional turmoil alone, making specific reference to Syria, Gaza and Lebanon.