Turkey strengthens defence partnership with Egypt amid growing West mistrust over S‑400

Turkey and Egypt signed a Letter of Intent in Ankara between Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and Egyptian Defence Minister Asraf Salem Zahr, formalising expanded defence and military cooperation. The agreement follows a recent thaw in relations after a period of tension in 2020‑21 and includes joint exercises, coordination in the East Mediterranean Gas Forum and broader strategic alignment.

At the same time, Turkey is reportedly close to an agreement to transfer Russian S‑400 air‑defence systems to a third country, a move aimed at clearing the path to re‑join the U.S. F‑35 fighter programme. Analysts say the real issue is a deepening trust crisis with the United States and NATO, reflecting broader political doubts about Turkey’s increasingly autonomous foreign‑policy stance rather than purely technical or legal concerns.