Türkiye's communications director said on Wednesday that the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara will demonstrate Türkiye's growing influence within the alliance and its role as a key actor in regional and global security.
Speaking to Ankara representatives of newspapers and television channels ahead of the summit, Burhanettin Duran said NATO has remained one of the longest-lasting and most institutionalized security alliances because of its ability to adapt to changing threats.
He noted that security challenges today extend beyond conventional military threats to include cyberattacks, critical infrastructure, energy security, disinformation and supply chains.
He said Ankara's position within NATO has evolved significantly since joining the alliance in 1952.
"Türkiye has moved from the periphery to the center of NATO," he said.
"It is no longer only a country protecting NATO's borders but a central ally on almost every issue concerning the alliance," Duran stressed.
He described Türkiye as a country that seeks to reduce tensions and create space for diplomacy during crises, while maintaining strong deterrence capabilities.
"Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has become an effective global actor that takes initiative in resolving crises, facilitates diplomacy and contributes to regional and global peace," Duran said.
He added that Türkiye is emerging as a "safe harbor" and building what he called a "Türkiye axis."
Duran further said the July 2026 summit would be important both for NATO's future and for the evolving global security architecture.
"The 2026 Ankara Summit is not merely a hosting matter. It is a diplomatic stage demonstrating Türkiye's rising weight within NATO," he said.
According to Duran, the summit will make visible Türkiye's military contributions, defense industry capabilities, crisis management capacity and diplomatic leadership.
He also said burden-sharing would be among the summit's main agenda items, noting that Türkiye aims to reach NATO's defense spending target of 3.5% plus 1.5% by the end of 2030.
Duran highlighted the growing importance of Türkiye's defense industry, describing it as a strategic force multiplier for both national security and NATO's overall deterrence capacity.
He also announced that a Defense Industry Forum will be included in the summit's official program for the first time and that a NATO Istanbul Cooperation Initiative foreign ministers meeting will be held on the sidelines of the gathering.
