Türkiye's Defense Ministry on Thursday hosted its weekly press briefing for the first time at the newly built Crescent and Star Joint Headquarters, a sprawling military complex designed to bring together the country's top defense institutions under one roof, while using the occasion to outline preparations for next week's NATO summit and reiterate Ankara's positions on regional security issues.
Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk, the ministry's spokesperson, said the headquarters will house the Defense Ministry, the Turkish General Staff and the commands of the army, navy and air force in a single campus aimed at strengthening joint military operations.
Inspired by the design of the Turkish flag, the complex is being built with smart-building technologies, advanced cybersecurity systems and protection against ballistic and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, Aktürk said.
He added that the headquarters would serve as a strategic military hub under Türkiye's "Century of Türkiye" vision and would host a reception for visiting defense ministers and senior NATO officials during the NATO leaders' summit scheduled for July 7-8 in Ankara.
Aktürk described the summit as a significant milestone for the alliance, saying it would reaffirm NATO's commitment to collective defense while shaping its future strategic direction amid an evolving security environment.
