Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan concluded a strategic three-day tour of the Gulf this week, signing more than a dozen agreements aimed at bolstering defense cooperation, diversifying energy sources, and expanding economic partnerships amid regional instability and ongoing global tensions. The high-level visits underscore Ankara's determination to deepen its presence across the Gulf states while addressing critical domestic defense and energy needs.
According to Barin Kayaoglu, writing in Al Monitor, Erdogan's tour wrapped up Thursday after stops in Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman, yielding significant agreements spanning defense industry cooperation, energy partnerships, and trade facilitation.
The visit began Tuesday in Kuwait, where Erdogan met with Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, producing four agreements covering energy cooperation, maritime transport, seafarer certificate recognition, and investment promotion. In Qatar on Wednesday, talks with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani resulted in four additional deals ranging from defense industry cooperation to trade expansion. The tour concluded with Erdogan's first presidential visit to Oman, where 16 agreements were signed addressing defense, military cooperation, critical minerals, and new mechanisms for investment, technology, and media collaboration.
Defense Modernization Takes Center Stage
A primary driver of Erdogan's Gulf outreach involves securing used Eurofighter Typhoon jets from Qatar and Oman to urgently fill gaps in Turkey's air force. Turkey was blocked from purchasing US F-35s in 2019 after acquiring Russian S-400 air defense systems, leaving its air capabilities diminished. While Ankara has agreed to purchase 40 new Eurofighters from a European consortium including the UK, Italy, Spain, and Germany, deliveries could take years.
Reuters reported Thursday that Turkey and its partners are finalizing deals to transfer relatively new Tranche 3A jets from Qatar and Oman promptly, allowing Turkey to maintain air defense capabilities while awaiting new aircraft deliveries.
Qatar remains Turkey's closest Gulf ally, hosting approximately 3,000 Turkish troops at a joint base—Ankara's largest overseas deployment. During the visit, both countries signed a memorandum of understanding on defense industry cooperation and strategic development.
Turkey's expanding defense industry is also opening new markets in Kuwait and Oman. "Turkey has the potential to become a key player in Kuwait's armament acquisitions, particularly as it fits Kuwait's geopolitical needs," Sinem Cengiz, a nonresident fellow at the Gulf International Forum, told Al Monitor. In July, Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar sold an undisclosed number of drones to Kuwait's military in a $367 million deal.
Defense cooperation with Oman is similarly growing. Turkey delivered 172 Pars-class armored vehicles to Oman's army between 2015 and 2020, and sold 14 fast patrol craft to Oman's Coast Guard in 2019. Defense electronics giant Aselsan opened a Muscat office earlier this year.
Energy Diversification Imperative
Energy diversification represents another critical pillar of Ankara's Gulf strategy as Turkey seeks to reduce dependence on Russian oil amid pressure from the Trump administration. Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman offer potential alternative suppliers: Qatar shipped about 472,000 barrels daily in 2023, Kuwait 1.57 million, and Oman 919,000, according to OPEC data.
"Kuwait is undergoing a transformation in its economic vision, and the agreements signed between Ankara and Kuwait reflect this shift," Cengiz noted, highlighting cooperation areas including maritime transport, direct investment, and energy collaboration aligned with Kuwait's Vision 2035 economic diversification plan.
Foreign Policy Coordination
Beyond economic and defense matters, Erdogan's tour addressed regional foreign policy challenges, including Gaza ceasefire mediation and Syria's reconstruction. Turkey has joined Qatar and Egypt as a direct mediator in Gaza peace efforts, with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin meeting Hamas political leaders during the visit.
Turkey is also seeking Gulf investment for Syria's reconstruction to support President Ahmed al-Sharaa and potentially facilitate Syrian refugee returns. With Turkey's economy strained by above-30% inflation and post-earthquake recovery costs, Gulf financial support proves essential. Qatar has committed to investing in Syria's energy and port infrastructure, while Kuwait pledged 500 million euros in humanitarian aid.
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