To create a powerful defense system in Europe with an effective configuration, it is necessary to involve Turkey, said Azerbaijani military analyst Agil Rustamzade in an interview with Olesya Batsman.
This topic came up during the discussion of the military and economic potential of European countries as part of "rearming Europe."
"Each country prioritizes its own national interests. Germany, the European Union... To rearm, to focus on military buildup... It took us about 10-15 years. [...] The process started around 2005, it took us about 15 years. But there is one nuance – there was no major war, and we could buy whatever we wanted," said Rustamzade.
He noted that the Azerbaijani people understood that "land had to be reclaimed," and the country saved on education, healthcare, and social security.
The military analyst believes that Europe's defense industry faces a number of development problems, including a lack of production capacity and the need to review all programs funded by budgets.
"This also needs to be explained to the population so that they don't resist. Therefore, Turkey's role is very important [...] for forming the European configuration, an effective configuration. This is both military-industrial power and military potential. Turkey is the second-largest country in NATO by personnel," explained Rustamzade.
He also assessed the pragmatic position of future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who initiated the allocation of $500 billion for defense over 12 years. However, Rustamzade considers this amount to be "not a very large sum" in the context of the European Union.
According to the military analyst, if Europe did not produce its own tanks and fighters, "the situation for Europe would be catastrophic now."
