US President Donald Trump has welcomed the new joint defence pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, calling it a “BIG, BOLD, IMPORTANT FIRST STEP.”
Trump praised the agreement in a Truth Social post after the three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement earlier this month.
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“Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement,” Trump wrote.
“It shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how Countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way,” he added.
The US president also congratulated the three countries as regional powers seek stronger security cooperation amid the continuing US-Iran war. The conflict has increased pressure on Gulf security and disrupted important maritime routes.
Mecca Pact Introduces Collective Defence
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the agreement on August 7 in Mecca.
The pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression. It states that an armed attack against one of the three countries will count as an attack against all.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has compared the provision technically to NATO’s Article 5 collective defence clause. However, the three countries have stressed that the arrangement does not target a specific state.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had already signed a bilateral mutual defence agreement last year. The latest agreement expands that security framework by bringing Turkiye into the arrangement.
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Days after the Mecca summit, Shehbaz told his federal cabinet that the pact was defensive in nature. He said its objective was peace, stability and progress rather than aggression against another country.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar delivered a similar message. He said the accord was “not an instrument of confrontation” and supported peace through strength, solidarity and mutual respect.
Egypt Could Become Next Member
The agreement could eventually expand beyond its three founding members.
Erdogan has publicly raised the possibility of Egypt joining the pact. Speaking to Al Jazeera, he said Cairo’s participation remained possible as the grouping considers additional members.
“This agreement has sent an important message to the world,” Erdogan said.
Fidan has also described Egypt as a potential member. He said the alliance would establish a ministerial committee and a permanent secretariat based in Saudi Arabia.
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Meanwhile, Turkiye’s defence ministry says the three countries plan deeper military cooperation. This includes joint land, naval and air exercises, along with cooperation in air defence and unmanned systems.
The partners also plan cooperation in defence production, technology transfer, electronic warfare and artificial intelligence.
Trump’s endorsement gives the emerging security framework notable support from Washington. It also comes as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye present the pact as a regional mechanism for deterrence rather than confrontation.
