By Urdu Report Editorial Team
US President Donald Trump has welcomed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, describing the pact as a “big, bold and important first step” toward bringing countries in the Middle East closer together and enabling them to defend themselves more effectively.
Trump said the countries of the region were coming together and would now be able to strengthen their collective ability to defend themselves in a more meaningful way.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warmly appreciated Trump’s remarks and thanked the US president for his “kind words of support” following the signing of the agreement.
He said Pakistan, together with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Turkiye, would continue to play a constructive role in ensuring the defence of their own countries as well as the wider region.
The prime minister also praised what he described as Trump’s “courageous and decisive leadership”, saying it had helped avert a nuclear catastrophe in South Asia and saved millions of lives during last year’s brief military confrontation between Pakistan and India.
Shehbaz Sharif stressed that durable peace remained the most essential prerequisite for a bright and prosperous future for the people of the region.
Deeply appreciate President Donald Trump’s kind words of support on the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
Together with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Turkiye, Pakistan will continue to play a constructive role in ensuring the defence of… pic.twitter.com/qdemVBYkLq
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 17, 2026
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye Defence Agreement
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the joint defence agreement on August 7 amid heightened tensions across the Middle East.
The agreement seeks to strengthen collective deterrence and defence cooperation among the three countries. Under the pact, an armed attack against one signatory will be regarded as an attack against all three members.
According to Turkiye’s Defence Ministry, Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia will establish political and military mechanisms under the agreement. The pact is also expected to deepen cooperation in the defence industry.
Both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar have emphasized that the agreement is defensive in nature and is not aimed at aggression against any country.
Possibility of More Countries Joining
Following the signing of the agreement, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkiye expected Egypt to join the pact at a later stage. He said only a few technical issues remained to be resolved.
Egypt, however, has not officially commented on the agreement or Fidan’s remarks so far.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also expressed hope that more countries will eventually become part of the defence framework.
Erdogan’s Vision for the Pact
Erdogan said Turkiye’s vision for the agreement was not limited to the three founding countries. He expressed hope that the pact would expand and that conditions could eventually emerge for countries across the region to come together under its umbrella.
Meanwhile, Kuwait, Bahrain and Somalia are among the countries that have welcomed the agreement.
Iran’s response has also been relatively positive. Tehran has emphasized the importance of establishing regional security mechanisms based on cooperation among the countries of the region, with regional states working together to ensure their collective security.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to playing a constructive role alongside Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in strengthening regional peace, stability and security.
