The Presidency’s Directorate of Communications and Istanbul-based think tank Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) hosted the “Ankara Moment: Strategic Positioning For A Resilient Alliance” conference in the Turkish capital on Thursday.

The event was an opportunity for an insight into Türkiye’s role in the alliance, whose leaders will gather in Ankara within months for a critical summit.

Addressing the conference, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said Ankara would remain a reliable ally of NATO. “We will continue as an active contributor, a strategic balance actor and a contributor to the alliance’s transformation process,” he stressed.

Türkiye and the U.S. are key members of NATO, with the former having the alliance’s second-biggest army. Under President Donald Trump, however, Washington is considering an exit from the alliance.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Trump was “clearly disappointed” with several member states of the trans-Atlantic alliance during a White House meeting on Wednesday. Speaking to broadcaster CNN, Rutte described the talks as an open discussion between “two good friends,” but did not disclose whether a potential U.S. withdrawal from NATO was discussed.

Trump, meanwhile, said on his Truth Social platform: “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.” The U.S. president wrote that allies should remember Greenland, which he described as a “BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE.”

Trump’s repeated threats earlier this year to potentially annex Greenland, a Danish territory of strategic importance, have strained relations between Europe and the U.S. In recent days, comments by Trump raised concerns about a possible U.S. exit from NATO, amid his criticism of what he perceives as insufficient support from alliance partners for the Iran conflict. Any withdrawal would require a two-thirds majority in the U.S. Senate, which is considered highly unlikely.

Güler said Türkiye has been one of the “rare” allies of NATO that can manage rapid force response with a 360-degree approach, in addition to its military strength in the region, coupled with NATO’s deterrence and defense concept. He noted that Türkiye has evolved from a “flank country” of the Cold War era to a central ally able to provide security to Europe, reiterating its efficient role in NATO missions and operations from Afghanistan to Bosnia-Herzegovina, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Baltic region.

Pointing out that Türkiye is a strong and respected member of the alliance, as well as the country with the second-largest army, Güler noted that it fulfills its responsibilities in military training, exercises, operations and other duties with great success, setting an example for others.

“Türkiye is not a country that merely contributes forces to NATO missions. It is one of the primary allies increasing the operational efficiency of the alliance across a wide range of areas, including training, joint planning, exercises, and command-and-control processes. The most recent and concrete example of this is the Steadfast Dart-26 exercise. We participated in this comprehensive NATO exercise with a joint force of 2,067 personnel and the Naval Task Group. The deployment of these elements to Europe, 6,450 kilometers away from our country, their active role in NATO and invitation exercises in the region, and their participation in Flexible Deterrence Options activities have been the clearest indicators of our support for NATO’s unity and solidarity,” he said.

On July 7-8, Türkiye will host the leaders’ summit of the alliance for the second time in more than two decades. Heads of state and top figures from member countries will be in Ankara for the summit. Some 6,000 participants are expected to attend the event. Preparations are underway in the Turkish capital for the event, where alliance leaders will likely discuss its future as conflicts proliferate across the world, forcing them to bolster defense expenditures.

Türkiye this year marks the 74th anniversary of its admission to NATO. It is the only country in NATO’s “southern flank” with a sizeable military power and a gateway to the Middle East and wider Asia. Security of the Black Sea also largely depends on Türkiye, especially amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which threatens maritime security.

In the last summit in The Hague last year, NATO members agreed to spend some 5% of their GDP in defense expenditures by 2035. Ankara will be the stage where the first progress reports on this massive investment drive are measured. A recent NATO report showed military spending rose by a fifth year-on-year in 2025 to $574 billion. Trump has repeatedly sought higher defense spending by the alliance’s 32 member states, pushing Europe to take primary responsibility for its own security. With the increase by NATO’s European members and Canada, all allies are now devoting more than 2% of gross domestic product to military spending, a goal set in 2014 for 2024, a NATO report said. In presenting the report, Rutte said he expected “Allies to show they are on a clear and credible path towards the 5%” when they hold their next summit in Ankara. The headline target breaks down as 3.5% on core defense spending and 1.5% on a broader range of areas such as infrastructure and cybersecurity. Only three countries met the 3.5% goal last year, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.

All NATO countries increased their military spending last year, but three saw a slight drop in the share of spending relative to their GDP. The U.S. went from 3.30% in 2024 to 3.19%, Czechia from 2.07% to 2.01%, and Hungary from 2.21% to 2.07%. July’s summit will also be the venue for support to Ukraine, where member countries will likely review and update their commitments to help the country.

For Türkiye, the summit will additionally serve as a platform to promote its flourishing defense industry. In the past two decades, the country evolved from a mere buyer of defense technologies to an exporter of everything defense-related, from unmanned aerial vehicles to naval platforms, air defense technologies, etc.

Türkiye seeks to expand its role in NATO as a power broker, and the summit will cement it. It emerged as a key mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and nowadays works for a peaceful resolution to the U.S.-Israel-Iran war. Moreover, the country aims to integrate itself more into the security architecture of Europe, which includes the bulk of NATO member states. Recently, the Ministry of National Defense announced that Ankara applied for the establishment of a multinational corps. Although it has started courting NATO’s traditional rivals more in recent years, Türkiye is firmly aligned with the alliance, as its leaders repeatedly confirmed.

Commitment to Article 5

Güler said that they expected the Ankara summit to be a platform where the alliance’s partners reaffirmed their commitment to Article 5 of the treaty, so that the NATO of the future can provide a multi-dimensional security ecosystem.

Article 5 says an attack on one member of NATO requires collective defense action by all members. Essentially, this will protect Türkiye from attacks by actors outside NATO. Speculations swirl that the next target of Israel, whose aggressive expansionism threatens the wider region, may be Türkiye. Pundits say Türkiye may invoke Article 5 in the face of such an attack, though it is unclear how the U.S. will act in he case of an attack by a non-NATO ally on a NATO ally.

“It is expected that allies concretely demonstrate the progress they have made regarding defense spending commitments and the military capability targets assigned to them, identify areas of cooperation that will facilitate reaching new capability targets and strengthening an innovative, sustainable defense industry ecosystem, and approve the defense and deterrence preparations to be presented to our leaders. Furthermore, we hope the European Union will abandon security approaches that exclude non-EU NATO allies, primarily our country, and return to its position of supporting NATO,” Güler said.

“Otherwise, we assess that this approach by the European Union will cause more damage to Europe’s security and resilience than a reduction of U.S. forces in Europe. The truth is that Türkiye, with its strong defense capabilities and industry, can contribute even more to Europe’s security and defense. We know many of our European friends are aware of this, and we believe others will analyze this well and exhibit a reasonable approach,” he said.

Only four days after Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Damascus, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani arrived in Ankara for talks.

No details were released about the content of the talks, but the visit signals rapidly advancing collaboration between the two neighbors.

Turkish-Syrian relations, frozen during the civil war, took a new turn after forces led by incumbent President Ahmed al-Sharaa led a revolution in December 2024 to overthrow the oppressive regime of Bashar Assad, a close ally of Russia. Within one year, Ankara-Damascus ties gained an unprecedented momentum, with deals serving the interests of both countries.

During his visit to Syria on Sunday, Fidan also attended a trilateral summit with al-Sharaa and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who flew to the Syrian capital aboard a plane lent by Türkiye he visited on Saturday.

Syria, like Türkiye, strived to stay away from the U.S.-Israel-Iran war despite their close proximity to the conflict that began on Feb. 28. The conflict appears frozen for now with a cease-fire in place, but the two neighbors remain at risk of spillover of violence.

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Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş confirmed Parliament has a say in by-elections under the Constitution, as the main opposition pushes for it, while the ruling AK Party downplays the need.

Kurtulmuş’s remarks on Thursday come after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ruled out the possibility of a by-election or an early vote.

The speaker said on Thursday that decisions on by-elections fall solely under the authority of the Turkish Parliament and must comply strictly with constitutional provisions.

“The rules for by-elections are clear,” Kurtulmuş said, emphasizing that any decision requires approval by the General Assembly of Parliament and that the speaker’s office holds no discretionary power in initiating such a process.

Most recently, after the Cabinet meeting on Monday, Erdoğan also rejected speculation about early elections, accusing the opposition of attempting to create an artificial political agenda.

“Neither our government nor our nation has early or by-elections in its near-term political plans,” Erdoğan said. He added that the administration remains focused on economic growth and shielding the country from regional instability.

Türkiye is navigating a complex geopolitical environment marked by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Erdoğan noted, stressing that the government’s priority is to maintain stability and strengthen the economy rather than engage in what he described as “manufactured debates.”

In contrast, opposition leaders reiterated calls for elections, arguing that the country needs to return to the ballot box.

Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel also said Thursday that he would support both early general elections and simultaneous local elections.

“If necessary, we are ready,” he said, proposing that municipal councils could resign collectively to trigger new votes.

Özel made the remarks following a meeting with Good Party (IP) leader Müsavat Dervişoğlu at the party’s headquarters in Ankara. The two leaders also discussed the economic impact of recent regional tensions, including attacks on Iran, and shared a report outlining proposed measures.

Dervişoğlu signaled his party’s support for any election scenario. “If there is a vote on by-elections, we would vote ‘yes,’” he said.

Under the Turkish Constitution, elections are held every five years, and adjusting this schedule requires a constitutional amendment. An early election, however, can be possible if other parties agree and if Parliament undergoes a reshuffle. If the number of lawmakers falls by 5%, or 30 deputies, Parliament is obliged to call elections for those constituencies within three months. Eight seats are currently vacant in Parliament for various reasons, and media outlets reported that the CHP may propose the resignation of 22 of its Parliament members to widen the gap, but such resignations can only be accepted by a decision of the General Assembly. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which holds a majority in Parliament, will be decisive as well.

The CHP has been pushing for an early election since the arrest of its mayor in Istanbul on charges of corruption, though the government has dismissed the calls for rescheduling of the 2028 general election.

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Şahin Biba, a candidate of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), was elected as the acting mayor of Türkiye’s fourth-largest city, Bursa, on Thursday, days after his predecessor was arrested on charges of corruption.

A municipal assembly member, Biba secured 61 votes in the third round of the election in the northwestern province. The vote was marred by riots instigated by members of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). Biba succeeds Mustafa Bozbey of the CHP. Authorities banned entry to the city hall during the election as assembly members cast their vote, but CHP officials attempted to force their way into the building, confronting riot police. Some 200 people broke a glass door leading to the second floor of the building after making their way into the building through a parking garage.

Speaking after the election, Biba called “everyone to respect the democratic process and the public will be reflected in the election.”

“You have to respect the will of the majority,” he said, pointing out that the People’s Alliance of the AK Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) retained it at the assembly.

Bursa has been a traditional stronghold of the AK Party since 2004. Bozbey, formerly a member of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), which governed the city before the start of the lengthy AK Party tenure, won the 2024 elections. He was detained along with dozens of others on charges of running a criminal organization, bribery, money laundering and zoning violations. After his arrest, he was fired from the office, necessitating a by-election.

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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke by phone with Kuwait’s foreign minister, Sheikh Jarrah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, on Thursday to discuss regional developments and the latest situation surrounding a temporary cease-fire, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

The sources said the two officials exchanged views on ongoing tensions in the region and recent efforts aimed at maintaining the cease-fire and preventing further escalation.

No further details of the conversation were immediately disclosed.

Fidan has continued an intense round of telephone diplomacy over the past weeks with multiple counterparts, as well as regional and international officials, aiming to end the conflict since it broke out on Feb. 28 following the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Moreover, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has recently held a series of calls with more than 20 world leaders to support a cease-fire in the Iran conflict and push for lasting regional stability.

He also spoke with leaders from the Gulf and Muslim world, including Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Erdoğan also held talks with Kuwait’s Emir, Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sudan’s Sovereignty Council head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The calls were part of an intensive diplomatic effort to prevent further escalation following Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation, and to ensure the cease-fire evolves into a sustainable peace process.

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Türkiye on Wednesday said it detained nearly 200 suspects linked to the Daesh terror group in nationwide raids, ⁠a day after three armed attackers launched an extended gun battle with police outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul.

Justice Minister Akın Gürlek posted on X that officers had arrested 198 suspects in a simultaneous operation in 34 provinces against “the terrorist organization Daesh”.

A gunman was killed and two others wounded in Tuesday’s shootout with police outside the consulate, with two officers lightly wounded.

Twelve of those arrested have been placed in pre-trial detention, including the two wounded gunmen, who were hospitalized, according to the justice ministry.

No group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s shootout.

Turkish media reports said the gunman who was killed was a 32-year-old man linked to Daesh.

The interior ministry said he had ties to a “terrorist organization”, and that the two wounded gunmen were brothers with links to drug trafficking.

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