All eyes were on Türkiye this week as heads of state and government from around the world convened in Ankara for the NATO summit. The summit is expected to have many repercussions in the coming days, but one thing is certain: Türkiye is an able host and its diplomatic efforts pay off.
The summit also marked the first time that U.S. President Donald Trump visited the country since he took office, and was an occasion to showcase rapidly improving bilateral relations.
A key meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Trump and the ensuing summit were a demonstration of the “leader diplomacy” Türkiye pursues under the leadership of Erdoğan and of how the country emerged as a global actor in diplomacy.
Through talks with Trump, Türkiye secured a pledge for the lifting of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions, for the acquisition of F-35 fighter jets and engines for Türkiye’s locally made Kaan jet. Elsewhere, the Turkish defense industry signed substantial defense deals, especially with the United Kingdom. Free trade negotiations were launched with Canada, while Germany decided to give a shot at acquiring long-range missile systems produced by Türkiye. Türkiye’s call for NATO allies to lift defense restrictions also made its way to the final declaration of the summit.
