### Turkey to Miss Deadline for Inclusion in EU’s SAFE Defense Mechanism
Turkey is set to miss the deadline for joining the European Union’s new defense funding framework, the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative, valued at 150 billion euros. The program aims to enhance collective defense capabilities among EU members and select partner states.
Officials in Brussels indicated that Turkey failed to fulfill the necessary compliance and transparency prerequisites required for participation in the mechanism before the end of the year. The SAFE initiative, which provides defense loans and funding for security projects, is designed to deepen defense coordination within the EU bloc and its closest allies.
An EU diplomatic source stated:
> “Ankara’s application will not move forward this year since the technical and political requirements have not been met.”
The delay reflects ongoing strains in EU-Turkey relations, especially concerning defense cooperation, export controls, and Turkey’s procurement of military systems outside of NATO frameworks. While Turkey expressed interest in joining SAFE earlier this year, negotiations stalled over issues of data sharing and joint funding governance.
European officials emphasized that future participation by Turkey remains possible, provided it aligns with the mechanism’s transparency standards and strategic goals.
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**Author’s summary:** Turkey missed inclusion in the EU’s 150 billion euro SAFE defense fund due to unfulfilled transparency criteria, though Brussels may reconsider if conditions are later met.
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eKathimerini.com — 2025-11-29