Türkiye to open NATO summit amid bid for deeper defense ties
Türkiye opens a key NATO summit on July 7, aiming to cement its role as a rising European security partner as it leverages rapid growth in its defense industry and expanding global military ties.
The two-day gathering in Ankara begins with a defense forum that has evolved from a sideline event into a formal part of the summit program.
NATO chief Mark Rutte officially launched the summit on July 6 with a press conference, setting the stage for meetings focused on defense production, regional security and alliance cohesion.
“It is inconceivable to establish European security without Türkiye,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, pushing for deeper integration of the country into European defense structures, including the European Union’s 150-billion-euro ($176 billion) SAFE program.
