11.07.2026 10:50
Whether alcoholic beverages were served at the dinner given to world leaders during the NATO Summit held in Ankara became a topic of debate. Responding to the question raised by journalist Yılmaz Özdil, AK Party Bursa Deputy Mustafa Varank stated that alcoholic beverages have not been served at official state invitations since 2014.
The historic NATO Summit held in Ankara with the participation of 32 member countries made headlines not only for global security issues but also for the details of the dinner served to the leaders. Journalist Yılmaz Özdil asked whether alcoholic beverages were offered to the leaders during the meal. AK Party Bursa Deputy Mustafa Varank gave a very clear response to this question.
DRINK LIST WAS NOT SHARED
While the menu of the special dinner hosted for world leaders as part of the summit was disclosed to the public, the fact that the drink list was not shared sparked controversy.
YILMAZ ÖZDİL: WAS ALCOHOL SERVED, MY FRIEND?
Yılmaz Özdil, claiming that the drinks were kept secret even though the food items on the menu were known in detail, criticized the issue with these words:
"We know every single item served at the dinner. We know everything from butter to tomato paste. But was alcohol served, my friend? Was alcohol offered? We don't know. Did Trump drink buttermilk while eating beef ribs? Did Macron drink sherbet while eating sea bass? Did Meloni sip white wine while having Sütlü Nuriye? We don't know. We are not ashamed to hang the American flag on the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge while the American sack is on our minds, but we are ashamed of the news about alcohol being served."
VARANK SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT: IT WAS NOT SERVED
Following the rapid spread of Özdil's criticisms, the expected statement from the AK Party front came from Bursa Deputy Mustafa Varank. Directly responding to the allegations and questions, Varank said, "It was not served. Because as of August 28, 2014, the serving of alcoholic beverages was discontinued. I have not encountered a single foreign statesman who was uncomfortable with this. The guest is subject to the host."