Turkish FM says discussions held on possible defence pacts with Pakistan and KSA

Key Highlights

• Any such framework, he said, would depend on deeper regional trust and cooperation.
• “There is a need for broader regional cooperation,” Fidan said.
• “Many of the issues we face could be resolved if the countries concerned were truly confident in one another.” His remarks follow a Bloomberg report last week claiming T?rkiye was at an advanced stage of negotiations to join the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, with people familiar with the matter suggesting a deal could be concluded.
• The SMDA, signed on September 17, 2025, during Pak Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh, treats an attack on either Pakistan or Saudi Arabia as an act of aggression against both.
• As per the publication, Ankara has begun weighing its participation in the agreement due to increasing doubts over the long-term reliability of its security partnership with the US, and a growing convergence of strategic interests between Ankara, Riyadh, and Islamabad.