Turkey's Fidan Calls Egypt a "Natural Partner" for Accession

Turkish FM Hakan Fidan says "I believe that at the next stage, Egypt will also be among us in the alliance," naming Egypt as the most likely near-term accession candidate. Cairo remains hesitant, wary of open-ended military obligations, its dependence on US aid, and how membership might be read against its peace treaty with Israel and Mediterranean disputes with Greece and Cyprus. Chatham House's Karim Elgendy notes Egypt prefers "overlapping regional security arrangements that are narrow in scope" rather than a binding collective-defense clause.