09.07.2024 21:50
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has traveled to the US capital, Washington, to attend the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit. One of the important agenda items of the summit will be the issue of support to Ukraine. After their meetings within the scope of the summit, the leaders will attend a reception hosted by US President Joe Biden and his wife. It has also been learned that Erdogan will bring up the massacres in Gaza to the NATO agenda.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan went to Washington, the capital of the United States, with the special plane "TUR" to attend the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit without disrupting his current HTML. Erdogan's plane landed at the airport.
ERDOGAN WILL REPRESENT TURKEY
At the summit, which will be chaired by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will represent Turkey. The leaders will come together at the "Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium" to celebrate the 75th anniversary of NATO, which was established in Washington in 1949 with the signing of the "North Atlantic Treaty" by 12 countries.
UKRAINE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AGENDA ITEM
On July 10, after the group photo, the leaders will discuss issues related to enhancing NATO's defense and deterrence capabilities in the first session. It is expected that the issue of support for Ukraine, which is one of the important agenda items of the summit, will be discussed in the meetings on the first day.
After their meetings within the scope of the summit, the leaders will attend a reception hosted by US President Joe Biden and his wife. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will host the foreign ministers of member countries, while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will host the defense ministers at separate receptions.
CLEAR MESSAGE TO PUTIN FROM NATO
It is expected that Ukraine's further integration into NATO and the construction of a "bridge" to its ultimate membership will be discussed at the summit. This will send a clear message to Putin. NATO, which focused on strengthening collective defense and deterrence capabilities after Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, will attach special importance to this issue at the Washington Summit. NATO, which commits its allies to collective defense in land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace, will also commit to increasing industrial cooperation and production at the summit. Member countries will also approve the establishment of a new base in Poland to strengthen the ballistic missile defense system.
TURKEY WILL BRING THE GAZA MASSACRE TO THE NATO AGENDA
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had emphasized that Turkey is one of the top five allies that contribute the most to NATO's missions and operations. President Erdogan stated that it is clear how important Turkey's commitment to the alliance is in this period when threats are diversifying and increasing, and said, "We will bring the ongoing massacres against the Palestinian people in Gaza, where the sincerity of our common values is being tested, to the agenda. We will emphasize that the international community has been insufficient in stopping Israel and that global conscience cannot breathe easily without establishing a just and lasting peace in Palestine. While bringing all these issues to the highest level of the agenda, I will also discuss them in my bilateral meetings with allied states and government leaders."
CHINA AS A THREAT ON THE AGENDA
NATO, which first took notice of China at the leaders' meeting held in London in 2019, will also discuss this issue at the Washington Summit. NATO Secretary General invited the leaders of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea to the summit in order to deepen cooperation with partners in the Asia-Pacific region. Stoltenberg, who stated that Iran, China, and North Korea support Russia, emphasized the importance of closer cooperation with "friends" against "authoritarian actors". In this context, it is expected that relations with NATO partners in the Asia-Pacific region will be expanded at the summit.
BIDEN'S HEALTH CASTS A SHADOW
Organizing a summit in Washington on the 75th anniversary of NATO carries symbolic meaning. NATO, which also celebrated its 50th anniversary in Washington, last held a summit in the United States in 2012. In the host country, the current President and the Democratic presidential candidate for the 2024 elections, Joe Biden's health continues to be the main agenda item. In addition to the steps NATO will take at the summit, the performance Biden will display in critical meetings and whether he will continue in office or not overshadow the summit.