A roundtable meeting titled “Türkiye’s Priorities for the July 2026 Ankara NATO Summit: Transatlantic Security Amid Geopolitical Fluctuations” was held in London in cooperation with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) by the Directorate of Communications.
Ahead of the Extraordinary Summit of NATO Heads of State and Government to be hosted by Türkiye on 7–8 July 2026, the Directorate of Communications is organising a series of panels in the capitals of NATO member states.
Following panels recently held in Spain in cooperation with the Elcano Royal Institute and in France with the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS), the series continued today in London, the capital of the United Kingdom, in collaboration with leading civil society organisations and think tanks.
At the meeting, Türkiye’s approach to and expectations of NATO—an Alliance it has attached great importance to and actively contributed to since its founding—were discussed, along with an assessment of Türkiye’s civilian and military contributions, as well as its role and strategic importance within the Alliance.
In a video message addressing participants at the meeting, Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran stated that NATO is a longstanding international organisation aiming to protect the security of its member states since it was founded in 1949.
Recalling that Türkiye joined NATO—now comprising 32 member states—three years after its founding, Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran noted that throughout this 74-year journey with the Alliance, Türkiye has faced numerous challenges and difficulties.
Underlining that each time, they have successfully overcome these tests in line with the principle of mutual loyalty, Head of Communications Duran noted:
"With its geostrategic position, military capacity, and deterrent capabilities, our country has been a central and indispensable actor, as well as a geopolitical balancing factor within NATO’s collective defence architecture from the Cold War to the present day.
In the aftermath of the Cold War, Türkiye has actively participated in NATO missions focused on crisis management, peace support, and the establishment of stability."
"NATO aims to build a more resilient, technologically advanced, and politically engaged Alliance"
Head of Communications Duran underscored that today, NATO functions within a multi-layered security landscape in which conventional interstate conflict risks are intertwined with hybrid threats, noting that the regional and global developments require NATO to broaden its perception of threats and render its decision-making mechanisms more agile.
Head of Communication Duran said that in this context, the Alliance has initiated a major transformation through its vision for 2030, and incorporated a broad spectrum of risks into its official threat framework, ranging from cybersecurity and artificial intelligence to energy security and the security implications of climate change.
Pointing out that this approach indicates that NATO aims to build a more resilient, technologically advanced, and politically engaged Alliance going forward, Head of Communications Duran added:
"Türkiye has emerged as one of the strongest practitioners of NATO’s 360-degree security approach on the ground, supported by its growing capacity and investments in new defence technologies, including unmanned systems, air defence solutions, and naval platforms.
Moreover, Türkiye adopts a proactive approach in combatting emerging threats such as artificial intelligence-assisted disinformation attacks, psychological warfare operations, mass perception management and manipulation attempts, while steadily enhancing its institutional capacity day by day."
“Türkiye will host the Extraordinary Summit of NATO Heads of State and Government on July 7–8.”
Highlighting that the Directorate of Communications is resolutely countering such threats, Head of Communications Duran noted that during this process, the Directorate of Communications has also carried out several positive communication campaigns, panels, symposia, and publications highlighting NATO's significance for world peace and stability, as well as Türkiye's critical position within the alliance.
Head of Communications Duran said that Türkiye’s key role within NATO rests on a balanced approach that blends Alliance responsibilities with the capacity for independent decision-making, adding "Indeed, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan articulated Türkiye's stance toward NATO by stating, 'We will continue to make the necessary contributions to NATO in accordance with the spirit of alliance while pursuing our independent foreign policy.'"
Head of Communications Duran stated, "Hosting the Extraordinary Summit of NATO Heads of State and Government on July 7–8, 2026, is of great significance as it reflects the spirit of alliance and Türkiye's importance within the alliance."
Head of Communications Duran also stated that this summit, as well as the international events we will host throughout 2026, will be important in demonstrating Türkiye's role in the new era.
On the first day of the programme, Chief Advisor to the President on Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Akif Çağatay Kılıç, also attended the roundtable meeting.
Responding to questions from numerous experts attending the meeting, Akif Çağatay Kılıç made remarks on United Kingdom–Türkiye relations, the war between the United States, Israel and Iran, NATO’s security capacity, Türkiye’s contributions on the Alliance’s southeastern flank, and recent developments in the region more broadly.
On the second day of the programme, Akif Çağatay Kılıç attended a roundtable meeting at Chatham House with a group of experts, academics and diplomats, where he also shared his assessments on developments in Iran and the Middle East, as well as Türkiye’s mediation role in regional crises and its efforts to strengthen its defence capacity.
Ambassador Akif Çağatay Kılıç also met with representatives of leading British media outlets at the Turkish Embassy Residence in London, hosted by Ambassador Osman Koray Ertaş. Recalling that the 2026 NATO Summit will be held in Türkiye, Kılıç spoke about the country’s ongoing efforts carried out in coordination with NATO and its Allies, and answered journalists’ questions on regional developments.
