President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev made an important proposal to the member states within the framework of the summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) - to hold joint military exercises in Azerbaijan in 2026. According to the president, the Turkic countries have already established comprehensive cooperation in a number of areas, such as economics, security, and defense, and in turn, current joint exercises can further strengthen this process.
At the same time, OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev dispelled the assumptions about the "military bloc" surrounding the organization. He emphasized that we are not talking about a closed military alliance, but about a new format that will serve to expand cooperation - "TDT+." This platform provides for open and pragmatic partnership with countries that are not part of the Turkic family.
The summit is taking place in Azerbaijan; The OTS includes Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan (Turkey is a NATO member). If Aliyev's initiative is adopted, the 2026 maneuvers will test coordination, rapid communication, and solidarity in the defense sphere. The Secretary-General's comment indicates that regional cooperation will continue in an open, inclusive, and non-military format.
In short, Baku's proposal is a step towards increasing unity in practice, and the idea of "TDT+" opens it to dialogue and partnership in a wider geography. Decisions are made at the intersection of the consent of the member states and common interests.
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