(Worthy Insights) – Since joining NATO in 1952, Turkey has relied on the alliance’s nuclear umbrella and has hosted several dozen US nuclear bombs at the Incirlik Air Base. At the same time, Turkey itself does not possess nuclear weapons, in line with its commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which it signed in 1969.
In recent years, however, senior Turkish officials have periodically raised, in public, Turkey’s “right” to develop and obtain nuclear weapons. In a speech in September 2019, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan argued it was unfair that his country was not allowed to develop nuclear weapons while other states possessed them or were working to acquire them.
In July 2025, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan voiced dissatisfaction with the nuclear treaty, which he said suffers from “structural injustice” by preserving the strategic supremacy of the five permanent UN Security Council members, all of which hold nuclear weapons. In his view, only one aspect of the treaty is implemented in practice: preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, while progress on nuclear disarmament and assistance to other countries developing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes are not being upheld. [ Source (Read More…) ]