Ankara to host NATO summit amid escalating regional crises

The NATO summit will be held in Ankara on July 7–8. While the NATO’s 32 member states gather, several major conflicts and tensions continue to unfold, including the Russia–Ukraine war, tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel, Israeli attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, Israeli incursions into Syria, the confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah, and the broader process of reshaping the Middle East, all amid an atmosphere of uncertainty and conflict. Ankara is also seeking to define its position and reinforce its role within these regional transformations.

For Turkey, this summit is not merely a military gathering. The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government views it as a political opportunity to revitalize relations with the United States and NATO, while also seeking support from allies for its policies in Syria, Iraq, Iran, and more broadly regarding the Kurdish issue.

How Has Ankara Prepared for the Summit?

Ahead of the summit, Turkish authorities raised security measures in Ankara to the highest level. Numerous roads have been closed, restrictions imposed on air traffic and movement, and 56,288 security personnel have been assigned, including 48,841 police officers and 7,447 members of the gendarmerie.

According to official data, security operations carried out before the summit resulted in:

• 225 individuals being investigated.

• 178 individuals being detained.

• 34 individuals being placed under house arrest or judicial supervision.

• 6 individuals being released by order of the public prosecutor.

Security operations are still ongoing.

The summit will include leaders and heads of government from NATO’s 32 member states, in addition to the Ukrainian President , European Commission President , European Council President , as well as leaders from Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, who will attend parallel meetings held alongside the summit.

For Ankara, however, the greatest attention is focused on the anticipated meeting between the Turkish President  and U.S. President . The visit represents Trump’s first visit to Turkey in 17 years, with both sides expected to discuss several unresolved issues.

What Issues Will Be Discussed?

The summit agenda will officially begin with a meeting of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), followed by a meeting of foreign ministers, then the NATO–Ukraine Council meeting, before concluding with the main session bringing together heads of state and government.

According to official information, the agenda will focus on the war in Ukraine, the future of NATO, increased defense spending, European security, and developments in the Middle East.

However, many analysts believe that bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit will also include discussions on numerous undisclosed political issues.

For Ankara: Syria and the Middle East at the Top of Priorities

The Justice and Development Party government sees one of the summit’s main objectives as strengthening Turkey’s strategic position within NATO and gaining broader support for its Middle East policies.

Ankara seeks to place what it considers threats to its border security, developments in Syria and Iraq, and broader regional changes on the agenda of discussions with its NATO allies, while also trying to persuade them to adopt its security perspective more fully.

At the same time, new developments in the Middle East, alongside changes in U.S. and European policies, could influence the nature of relations between Ankara and NATO.

The summit’s outcomes may also affect Turkish domestic politics, particularly if the Justice and Development Party government introduces a new legislative package to parliament concerning the internal political process after the summit, and what such a package might contain. It is believed that this will largely depend on the results of Ankara’s discussions with its allies.

For this reason, observers are focusing not only on NATO’s final statement but also on the messages emerging from bilateral meetings between Ankara and Washington, which may have a direct impact on both regional policies and the course of domestic politics in Turkey.

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ANHA