In a few days Turkey will play host to NATO’s leaders for a high-stakes summit that some anticipate could be historic. The two main protagonists at the summit will be US President Donald Trump, who has consistently slammed NATO since his return to office, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is likely to use this summit to present himself as an indispensable ally and attempt to legitimize his harsh crackdown on political dissent.
In the buildup to the summit we’ve seen Trump approve a $700 million arms sale to Turkey of fighter jet engines, a move that’s seen as a “gift” to Erdogan. Vice President JD Vance has also raised eyebrows calling for a legal review of whether the conditions exist for a future transfer of F-35 fighter jets to Ankara. Both moves have caused a stir in Congress, and a joint resolution of disapproval was introduced in the House looking to block the sale of jet engines.
In the buildup to the summit we’ve also seen reports that Turkey is planning to allow the reopening, after more than 50 years, of Halki Theological seminary. The reports follow a meeting between Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Turkey’s Erdogan, and it is expected that the issue will feature during Trump’s meeting with Erdogan on the sidelines of the summit.
