Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said Friday that Türkiye views the upcoming NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara as a critical milestone that will help shape the alliance’s strategic direction amid an increasingly complex global security environment.
Speaking to Turkish journalists on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels, Güler said the July 7-8 summit in the Turkish capital would be more than a gathering of allied leaders.
“We do not see the Ankara summit merely as a leaders’ meeting,” Güler said. “We believe it will be a significant turning point demonstrating NATO’s determination to adapt to the evolving security environment and shaping its strategic orientation for the future.”
The defense minister meeting, held ahead of the NATO summit, focused on the alliance’s deterrence and defense posture, support for Ukraine and broader security challenges facing member states, Güler said.
He noted that Türkiye had briefed allies on its contributions to NATO, progress toward defense spending commitments, preparations for the Ankara summit and its support for Ukraine.
