Ankara on Sunday hailed the country's anniversary of formally joining the top defense alliance NATO, despite recent friction with the bloc.

The Defense Ministry commemorated the 72nd anniversary of joining the alliance, underscoring the nation's steadfast commitment to its obligations and responsibilities within the bloc.

"As the second-largest military force within the alliance, Türkiye proudly occupies a pivotal position at its core," the ministry said in a statement posted on social media.

The strategic significance of Türkiye within NATO was further emphasized by its hosting of the NATO Allied Land Command and the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps (3rd Corps Command), it added.

"As a formidable and dependable member of NATO, Türkiye will continue to make indispensable contributions to the alliance, mirroring its unwavering commitment to the organization's success throughout its history," it concluded.

In a separate statement, the Foreign Ministry said: "In an extraordinary period of unprecedented challenges for the world, we celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the accession of Türkiye, which maintains a unique and indispensable position for the alliance, to NATO."

"We will continue to assume an important role in NATO to support international peace and stability based on allied solidarity," the ministry also said on X.

Türkiye was at odds with NATO when the latter paved the way for the accession of Sweden to the bloc amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Citing the Nordic country's tolerance of terrorist groups, namely the PKK and Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), Ankara stalled its membership before finally ratifying the application after lengthy negotiations and repeated calls from allies.

Both Türkiye and its neighbor Greece became members of NATO in 1952, as part of the first enlargement movement of the organization. However, joining the organization came at a cost. Türkiye only became eligible to become a member after it fought beside NATO members in the Korean War, in which it lost 721 soldiers. Its previous attempts to join it had been unsuccessful.

The country hosts many NATO initiatives, with a NATO headquarters in western Izmir province, an airbase in southern Adana province, another one in Diyarbakır and a NATO Rapid Deployable Corps in Istanbul. It also hosts the AN/TPY-2 radar in eastern Malatya province as part of the organization's missile shield project. NATO itself will mark its 75th year in April.

Türkiye is a key member in NATO's southeastern front, as a country fighting against terrorism and for its support to Ukraine.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) earlier this week, Levent Gümrükçü, a permanent representative of Türkiye to NATO, pointed out that Türkiye exhibited sacrifice and accomplishments as a NATO member at the height of the Cold War. "After the Cold War, prospects of peace flourished and even the existence of NATO was questioned. Yet, NATO was forced to intervene in crises, from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo to Afghanistan, as the conflicts and crises were far from over in this period. In this era, Türkiye, with its military capacity and ability, valuable contributions to NATO's efforts to form partnerships in the abovementioned countries and its responsibility in NATO operations, served (the alliance) well," he said.

Gümrükçü noted that Türkiye has a privileged place in NATO also thanks to the enormous development of its defense industry in recent years that made it a country manufacturing its own military equipment.

For Türkiye, NATO plays an essential role in providing a collective defense "umbrella" for the country, which is located "in a region challenged by crises and conflicts," Gümrükçü said.

"In the current, almost unpredictable security environment, collective defense certainly gives Türkiye and other members a strong element of deterrence," he said.