07.07.2026 09:40
The 36th Summit of Heads of State and Government, one of NATO's most critical summits, begins today in Ankara. Minutes before the major summit, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan gave the message "The stage is set in Ankara" with a post on his social media account. Fidan, who also shared a photo from the Presidential Complex where the summit will be held, stated that the decisions to be made in Ankara will shape NATO's future. Live broadcasts and all details from Ankara for this historic day are on Haberler.com...
Breaths were held in Ankara for the 36th NATO Summit, where global security policies will be reshaped. Hours before leaders gather in the capital, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan published a comprehensive statement on his personal social media account summarizing the summit's vision and Turkey's stance.
"DECISIONS WILL SHAPE EURO-ATLANTIC SECURITY"
Minister Fidan emphasized that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey is fully ready to host NATO members at this critical moment that will determine the Alliance's future. Stating that the decisions to be made in Ankara will not only address urgent and daily challenges, Fidan underlined that these steps will fundamentally shape the Euro-Atlantic security environment for years to come.
"TRADITIONAL CRITERIA ARE NO LONGER SUFFICIENT"
Fidan stated that collective defense remains a fundamental element of NATO, but the strategic environment is changing rapidly, noting that threats have become multidimensional, faster, and much more complex. Arguing that traditional criteria are insufficient in the face of this new reality, the Foreign Minister emphasized that what truly matters are concrete outputs such as deployable capability, industrial capacity, and operational readiness.
WARNING TO EUROPE ON DEFENSE INDUSTRY
In his statement, Fidan also touched upon Europe's contribution to the alliance and defense industry cooperation, stressing that a stronger European contribution is essential. However, he pointed out that existing restrictions in defense and industrial cooperation undermine efficiency and slow response times, noting that these restrictions have now become "strategic burdens" on the alliance. Minister Fidan also warned that European defense initiatives must be conducted in a fully inclusive manner, without excluding any NATO allies.
TURKEY'S GOAL: A MORE RESILIENT ALLIANCE
At the end of his statement, Foreign Minister Fidan expressed that the real issue is not just how to respond to crises, but also how to organize a cooperation model that reflects today's realities. Stating that the Ankara Summit will guide the Alliance in adapting to the new world it faces, Fidan emphasized that Turkey's clear goal is to build "a more cohesive, more competent, and more resilient Alliance."
32 COUNTRY LEADERS TO COME TO ANKARA FOR THE SUMMIT
The countdown is underway for one of the most critical summits in NATO history. The 36th NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government begins today in Ankara.
Heads of state and government from 32 countries, including US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, along with nearly 100 ministers, will gather in Ankara for the NATO Summit. The summit, which will begin with the Defense Industry Forum at the Ankara Chamber of Commerce Congress and Exhibition Center, is critically important for the future of the Alliance and the global security architecture.
At 18:30 in Beştepe, a reception will be held for heads of state and government and their spouses, hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his wife Emine Erdoğan. On the same day, foreign ministers of NATO member countries will meet in Beştepe.
At the Ay Yıldız Headquarters, a reception will be held for defense ministers, hosted by National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler.
Visiting leaders, ministers, and high-level officials have begun arriving in Ankara, which is on full alert for the NATO Summit.
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEFENSE AGREEMENTS
Numerous new projects and arms agreements are expected to be announced today at the NATO Defense Industry Forum. While details are kept confidential, Dutch Defense Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz announced that her country will unveil new defense investments exceeding 3 billion euros. In this context, joint projects with Belgium in air defense and with the UK in naval platforms are expected to be introduced.
EUROPE INCREASES DEFENSE SPENDING TO RECORD LEVELS
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that European countries and Canada increased their defense spending by nearly 20 percent over the past year, bringing the total defense budget to over 570 billion dollars. Rutte said that both the Russian threat and Trump's years-long pressure were effective in this increase.
UKRAINE AND RUSSIA TOP OF THE AGENDA
One of the main agenda items of the summit will be the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on NATO leaders for "strong decisions" ahead of the summit, while recent Russian attacks on Kiev have brought discussions on strengthening air defense systems back to the fore. NATO is expected to discuss new support packages for Ukraine and increasing air defense capacity.
AWACS FLEET BEING RENEWED
According to sources, NATO plans to replace its aging US-made AWACS early warning aircraft with the GlobalEye system developed by Sweden-based Saab. The decision is expected to be formalized during the summit.
FUTURE OF THE ALLIANCE ON THE TABLE
The summit in Ankara will address increasing defense spending, Europe taking more responsibility for security, strengthening defense industry production, the Russia-Ukraine war, developments in the Middle East, and NATO's strategic roadmap for the future. Leaders are expected to adopt a joint declaration at the end of the summit.
INTENSE MEDIA INTEREST
As the summit hosts heads of state and government from 32 NATO member countries, thousands of diplomats, journalists, and guests, local and foreign media representatives have shown great interest in the summit.