Turkey exports warship to NATO and EU country for the first time

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that Turkey has exported a warship to a NATO and European Union (EU) member country for the first time in its history through a sales agreement signed with Romania.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of the offshore patrol vessel CAm. Roman to the Romanian Naval Forces Command, as well as at the commissioning and flag-raising ceremony of the Turkish Naval Forces Command platforms in Istanbul, Erdogan highlighted the growing capabilities of the Turkish maritime defense industry.

"With the sales agreement we signed with Romania, Turkey exports a warship to a NATO and EU member country for the first time in its history," he said.

Erdogan announced that Turkey has built more than 140 offshore platforms for different regions of the world.

He said that Turkey is among the countries capable of building the largest number of warships at the same time.

The Turkish president also emphasized cooperation in the field of defense with partner countries, adding that Turkey considers it a duty to share its defense industry capacities with friendly countries.

"Turkey's goal is not to create tensions in our region, but to strengthen peace, justice, tranquility and stability," Erdogan said.

He added that the international environment remains very turbulent and that countries that lack strength on the ground may find it difficult to secure their place at the negotiating table. /AA/