A pistol with the name of the recipient engraved on its barrel and a leather-bound book were among the gifts handed to each head of state and government who attended the NATO summit in Ankara this week, media outlets reported.

A photo shared by the office of Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda confirmed the reports. It shows Gümüşay (Silver Moon), Türkiye’s first locally made revolver, included in an elegant wooden box, next to a paper box containing apparently live bullets.

A German government spokesperson told Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) on Wednesday that Merz’s revolver had been handed over to the German Embassy so that it could be properly imported and then inventoried in the collection of official gifts. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier told reporters about the gifts on his flight home from the summit, according to reports by The Guardian and the Press Association news agency. Starmer said Erdoğan had given all leaders at the summit a similar present, with each weapon engraved with the recipient’s name. Despite a note from Erdoğan waiving export controls, Starmer left his revolver in Türkiye to be decommissioned, as importing it would have breached the U.K.’s strict gun laws, the reports said.

Media outlets reported that Erdoğan also gifted a book entitled “The Politics of Courage: Erdoğan and the Rise of Türkiye,” published by a foundation bearing his name, to leaders. The book recounts Türkiye’s contemporary political history, landmark decisions, challenges, reforms and long-term ambitions through the lens of President Erdoğan’s political life, according to a statement by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a series of bilateral meetings with Balkan leaders on Thursday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, focusing on defense cooperation, regional stability, trade and Europe’s security architecture.

Erdoğan met Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic during the second day of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, hosted by Türkiye.

According to the Directorate of Communications, Erdoğan and Rama discussed bilateral ties and regional issues as NATO leaders gathered in the Turkish capital for alliance talks. The meeting at the Presidential Complex was attended by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalın, AK Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran and senior presidential adviser Akif Çağatay Kılıç.

The Ankara gathering marks the second NATO summit hosted by Türkiye after the alliance’s 2004 summit in Istanbul. The meeting has also served as a platform for bilateral talks between allied and partner countries on political, security and economic cooperation.

During his meeting with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, Erdoğan said strengthening NATO’s European pillar remains important and stressed that European Union defense initiatives should complement the alliance, according to the directorate.

The two leaders also discussed expanding cooperation in trade, investment, energy and transportation. Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s efforts to support diplomatic solutions to the wars in Ukraine and Iran, while emphasizing Ankara’s continued push to help end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and promote regional stability.

In talks with Spajic, Erdoğan said Türkiye was committed to further deepening bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, tourism, the defense industry and security.

Erdoğan also welcomed the role of the Balkan Peace Platform, launched under Türkiye’s initiative, describing it as an important mechanism for addressing issues including border security, energy and transportation across the region. He said he expected the platform to contribute to lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the Balkans.

Türkiye, which joined NATO in 1952, used the Ankara summit to reinforce its role within the alliance while advancing bilateral ties with regional partners through a series of high-level diplomatic engagements.

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All eyes were on Türkiye this week as heads of state and government from around the world convened in Ankara for the NATO summit. The summit is expected to have many repercussions in the coming days, but one thing is certain: Türkiye is an able host and its diplomatic efforts pay off.

The summit also marked the first time that U.S. President Donald Trump visited the country since he took office, and was an occasion to showcase rapidly improving bilateral relations.

A key meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Trump and the ensuing summit were a demonstration of the “leader diplomacy” Türkiye pursues under the leadership of Erdoğan and of how the country emerged as a global actor in diplomacy.

Through talks with Trump, Türkiye secured a pledge for the lifting of Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions, the acquisition of F-35 fighter jets and engines for Türkiye’s locally made Kaan jet. Elsewhere, the Turkish defense industry signed substantial defense deals, especially with the United Kingdom. Free trade negotiations were launched with Canada, while Germany decided to give a shot at acquiring long-range missile systems produced by Türkiye. Türkiye’s call for NATO allies to lift defense restrictions also made its way to the final declaration of the summit.

The event was also an occasion for Erdoğan to hold bilateral talks with leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Germany’s Friedrich Merz and outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Erdoğan also held talks with top EU officials Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa.

Trump in Ankara

Although every guest was treated with Turkish hospitality, perhaps none were given a welcome as special as the one for Trump.

The official aerial stunt team of the Turkish army put on an air show as the U.S. president arrived at the Presidential Complex, after leaving an airport refurbished to accommodate a large number of guests arriving for the summit.

Türkiye, which has been a staunch ally of the U.S. for decades, saw relations deteriorating under the previous administrations in Washington. It was seeking to improve ties under Trump, and it apparently paid off. As Trump lashed out at other NATO members, he had only kind words for Erdoğan and Türkiye.

Erdoğan welcomed Trump at the airport’s tarmac, and the two leaders walked arm-in-arm, stopping for a chat at times, before walking to the airport lounge. Images of Erdoğan and Trump beaming as they engaged in a warm conversation were among the symbols of evolving relations between the two countries. In their remarks during the summit and afterwards, both referred to each other as “dear friends,” while Trump promised to drop sanctions against Türkiye, six years after he imposed them in his first term.

The relationship grew even brighter ​over ⁠the two-day summit that ended on Wednesday. Trump said he was willing to sell Türkiye F-35 fighter jets, though later he said he had not totally made up his mind and repeatedly praised Erdoğan, with whom he shared smiles, laughs and embraces as they communicated via translators.

For many diplomats, Türkiye’s single biggest challenge had been ensuring that the U.S. leader would even attend the annual gathering of 32 NATO leaders, even though he had not yet missed a summit.

Trump, who has long said that NATO allies are not pulling their weight, said he only attended because Erdoğan was the host. That itself marked a diplomatic success and an opportunity for Türkiye, which wants to boost its stature within the bloc and also overcome longstanding issues with Washington.

“It was valuable that Trump emphasized the importance he places on me and our friendship,” Erdoğan said as the summit closed. “I thank my dear friend once again.”

A day after his warm bilateral talks with Erdogan, Trump on Wednesday threw the summit into disarray as ⁠he ⁠demanded the U.S. cut trade ties with Spain and reiterated his claims on Greenland, irking NATO ally Denmark. He later said there had been love and “a lot of unity” at a leaders’ meeting, bringing some relief to a trans-Atlantic defense bloc wary of an unpredictable U.S. president who has questioned the alliance’s value.

Sitting alongside NATO head Mark Rutte, Trump went out of his way to defend Erdoğan against sharp criticism from another U.S. ally and regional power: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who warned this week against selling F-35s to Ankara.

At an earlier meeting in front of reporters, Trump drew a thumbs-up from Erdogan when he said he would lift U.S. sanctions on Türkiye over its 2019 purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems, and he signalled a willingness to sell the F-35s blocked by those sanctions and other U.S. laws.

Ankara has ⁠sought these steps for years even as it stood by the S-400 purchase, which at the time had upset the U.S. and other NATO allies.

The progress, even if mostly rhetorical, comes weeks after a U.S. court concluded a years-long criminal case against ​Turkish state lender Halkbank, which Erdoğan had called unjust.

Erdoğan on Wednesday hailed the summit for laying the “foundation of a stronger NATO.”

He described it as a “historic” gathering that will help shape the alliance’s future at a time of heightened security challenges across the Euro-Atlantic region.

“We have successfully concluded our NATO summit, which we hosted in our country for the second time in 22 years and for the first time in our capital, Ankara,” Erdoğan said at a news conference following the conclusion of the summit.

He said the meeting came at a critical moment for Euro-Atlantic security and would have lasting significance for the alliance.

“This historic summit, which we hosted at a time when Euro-Atlantic security is being tested, has been conducted in a manner that will shape our common future,” he said.

Erdoğan said Türkiye has had to contend with regional crises and terrorism for decades without benefiting from the post-Cold War “peace dividend” enjoyed by many European countries.

“There were times when we were left alone and treated unfairly. Therefore, we often had to rely on our own capabilities,” he said.

He noted that those efforts have enabled Türkiye to surpass many NATO allies in defense spending, military capabilities and the strength of its defense industry.

“Today, in terms of defense spending, military capabilities and the defense industry that underpins them, we are well ahead of many allies,” Erdoğan said.

The president added that NATO leaders reviewed the implementation of commitments made at last year’s summit in The Hague and reaffirmed Türkiye’s plans to further increase its contributions to the alliance.

Türkiye’s role in NATO

Highlighting Türkiye’s military role within NATO, Erdoğan said the country commands the alliance’s second-largest land force and has long served as the cornerstone of security on NATO’s southeastern flank.

“We currently command NATO’s second-largest land army. For decades, the security of NATO’s southeastern flank has largely been entrusted to our country,” he said.

He said Türkiye remains among the leading contributors to NATO operations, missions and common funding, adding that Turkish F-16 fighter jets will be deployed to Estonia beginning in August as part of NATO’s Air Policing mission.

Erdoğan also said Türkiye will continue leading the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) until September 2026 and is scheduled to command the NATO Response Force in 2028-2029.

Highlighting Türkiye’s defense industry, Erdoğan said the country is among the few NATO members capable of producing its own fighter aircraft, tanks, naval vessels and air defense systems.

He added that Türkiye has become a global leader in unmanned aerial vehicles, naval drones and warship production while also supplying defense products to allied nations.

Erdoğan reiterated that EU defense initiatives should complement NATO, rather than duplicate its efforts.

“The European Union’s defense initiatives must complement NATO and avoid unnecessary duplication. I draw the attention of our allies and the EU leadership to this important point at every opportunity and in every forum,” he said.

Erdoğan also renewed his call for the removal of remaining restrictions on defense trade among NATO allies.

“Although some obstacles to defense industry trade among allies have decreased, they still exist. These restrictions must be removed as soon as possible, without conditions,” he said.

Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi announced on Thursday that 219 members of the PKK terrorist group have surrendered to Turkish authorities since the group announced its dissolution on May 12, 2025.

Speaking to broadcaster 24 TV, Çiftçi commented on the terror-free Türkiye initiative launched in 2024 and how his ministry contributed to the process, which aims to complete the disarmament of the PKK.

Çiftçi noted that one recent step involved the removal of 2,763 security checkpoints set up particularly in southeastern Türkiye, which has been a hotbed of PKK attacks. “Our inspectors still work in the field and try to determine whether we can remove other checkpoints as well,” he said.

The minister, a former governor who served in the southeastern and eastern provinces that were affected by PKK terrorism, noted how checkpoints have been ubiquitous there as part of security measures.

Emphasizing that the Ministry of Interior has been closely monitoring the initiative, Çiftçi said: “We have been carrying out efforts to persuade members of the terrorist group to surrender. The terrorist group laid down its arms on May 12, 2025. Since that day, 219 members of the group have been persuaded to surrender. Of these, 134 have surrendered this year alone, within this six-month period. Checkpoints were another component of our efforts. We continue our search and sweep operations in the field. We have located 58 shelters, hideouts, storage sites or other living areas used by the terrorist group, and we have dismantled them. Our operations on the ground, conducted through the General Directorate of Security and the Gendarmerie General Command, are continuing at full speed.”

As an example of improved security in the southeast, Çiftçi recalled how Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş joined the public at an event on the outskirts of Mount Cudi, where the PKK had maintained hideouts and carried out attacks in the past.

“Would something like this have been possible in the past? Today, events can be held on Mount Cudi because security has been established and a safe environment has been restored. Likewise, a wrestling festival was held in the Cilo Mountains in Hakkari. In the past, organizing such an event in Hakkari would have seemed unimaginable,” he said.

Çiftçi added that they believe tourism and economic activity in the region will continue to grow as the initiative expands, the region becomes increasingly free of terrorism, and security continues to improve.

Sources close to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), whose leader Devlet Bahçeli first touted the idea of the initiative, told media outlets that the legal amendments to advance the process would likely be presented to Parliament in July and may be enacted before Parliament’s summer recess in August.

The framework law, as it is dubbed by the Turkish media, consists of several articles that are expected to address the future of PKK members after their disarmament. Though the contents are still unclear, they are expected to include partial amnesty for those not actively involved in terrorist attacks. Sources told BBC Turkish that the law would be “temporary” and would be implemented only after it is verified that the PKK has fully abandoned weapons.

The PKK had taken the first step to end its more than 40-year campaign of terrorism in May 2025, announcing it would dissolve itself. In July 2025, the group held a ceremony in northern Iraq, with terrorists literally burning their weapons on the path to complete dissolution. All these moves were a culmination of the initiative launched by Bahçeli, who has called on the group’s jailed ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, to urge the PKK to lay down arms, and Öcalan has replied positively, making the said call in February 2025.

The initiative is largely proceeding in secrecy, except for visits to Öcalan by the members of the pro-PKK Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and for regular meetings of the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Committee, set up by Parliament to provide guidelines for the process.

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The decision to hold the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara carried strategic significance beyond logistics, reflecting Türkiye’s increasingly acknowledged military, political and geopolitical importance within the alliance, according to the experts.

“The fact that the summit was held in Ankara is a recognition of Türkiye’s key position in both military and political terms,” Mustafa Caner, editor-in-chief of Kriter Magazine and a researcher at the Turkish think-tank, the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), told Daily Sabah.

The summit in Ankara brought together leaders of the 32-member alliance as well as key partners to discuss Europe’s defense capacity, the alliance’s defense spending targets, military modernization and continued support for Ukraine.

Caner argued that hosting the summit itself sent a political message about Türkiye’s evolving role in NATO, particularly as the alliance faces mounting security challenges across Europe, the Middle East and the Black Sea.

Speaking at the opening of the leaders’ summit of NATO in the capital, Ankara, on Wednesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan renewed his country’s commitment to the alliance while urging NATO members that are also EU members not to exclude Türkiye.

“We took measures to reach the 5% defense spending goal by 2030,” Erdoğan said as he delved into the country’s contribution to NATO. “Türkiye has taken measures to raise the ratio of our defense spending to the 3.5% level before 2030,” he added.

The summit represented an opportunity for Ankara not only to shape NATO’s strategic agenda but also to showcase its expanding defense industry to allied governments at a time when European members are accelerating efforts to strengthen their own defense capabilities, according to Caner.

Türkiye’s active operational role within NATO has further reinforced its strategic value, he said, noting that the country has participated in numerous alliance missions and continues to contribute to NATO operations.

Furthermore, he highlighted Türkiye’s leadership role in the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group alongside Bulgaria and Romania, as well as its previous contributions to missions in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Afghanistan.

Türkiye’s contributions extend from the Baltic region to the Black Sea and include NATO missions, operations and exercises, as well as responsibilities in maritime security, crisis management, training and deterrence, he said. Türkiye also hosts critical NATO facilities, including the Allied Land Command, located in the western city of Izmir, and the Rapid Deployable Corps, based in Istanbul. The capital, Ankara, hosts the Center of Excellence for Defense Against Terrorism (COE-DAT) and the Partnership for Peace Training Center. Istanbul hosts the NATO Maritime Security Center of Excellence (MARSEC COE).

Beyond military deployments, he argued that Türkiye’s geographic position continues to make it a central player in regional security. Located on NATO’s southern flank, Türkiye sits at the intersection of the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and regions extending toward Africa, areas that have become increasingly significant for the alliance in recent years.

“The security dynamics emerging from these regions have made Türkiye an indispensable part of NATO’s strategic planning,” he underlined.

The Crescent and Star compound, dubbed by the media as “Türkiye’s Pentagon,” was partially opened on the occasion of the NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara.

On Tuesday, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler hosted counterparts from NATO member states for a reception at the Star Section of the new headquarters, whose construction is still underway in other parts. The joint headquarters will bring together the land, air and naval force commands of the army, which were scattered in the past across the capital, although in close proximity.

Caner also emphasized the rapid development of Türkiye’s defense industry, describing it as an increasingly valuable asset for NATO, particularly as European allies seek to expand indigenous defense production amid growing uncertainty over the long-term reliability of U.S. security guarantees.

“As NATO members look to strengthen their own defense capabilities, Türkiye’s expanding defense industry has become strategically important for the alliance.”

Taken together, Türkiye’s geopolitical position, operational contributions and growing defense-industrial capacity have significantly strengthened its standing within NATO in recent years, Caner concluded, making Ankara an increasingly influential actor in shaping the alliance’s future strategic priorities.

On the other hand, Erman Akıllı, assistant editor of Insight Turkey and a researcher at the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), pointed out that the nature of NATO itself is evolving as the character of conflict changes, arguing that the alliance is increasingly confronting non-kinetic threats alongside conventional military challenges.

“Today’s battlefield is no longer defined solely by conventional warfare,” Akıllı said. “We are talking about non-kinetic attacks, data sovereignty, algorithmic authority and computing power as strategic capabilities that will shape states’ positions in the international system.”

Speaking at the “Allies In Ankara” event in the Turkish capital on Tuesday, National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler also emphasized that today’s security cannot be ensured only through tanks, aircraft and ships, but also through secure data, reliable supply chains, protected infrastructure, resilient societies and the ability to act faster than adversaries, he added. Türkiye will continue to contribute to NATO’s deterrence and defense, cooperate closely with allies and support the alliance’s transformation, the minister said.

According to Akıllı, what some analysts describe as “NATO 3.0” reflects the alliance’s ongoing adaptation to this new security environment. He likened the transformation to the allegory of “the elephant in the dark,” suggesting that while different actors perceive individual aspects of NATO’s evolution, few yet grasp the full scope of the alliance’s changing strategic role.

Türkiye, which joined NATO in 1952, has never been merely a geographical front-line country, but has consistently assumed risks, carried responsibility in the field and contributed to deterrence when necessary.

Akıllı said improving artificial intelligence literacy and developing a larger pool of skilled personnel will be essential as militaries increasingly adopt advanced technologies.

“Technology alone is not enough,” Akıllı said. “Without talented people, it is impossible to effectively operate next-generation combat aircraft, autonomous systems and other cutting-edge military platforms.”

AI has become a defining force in the evolution of the global defense industry and is expected to play an increasingly central role in future military capabilities, according to him.

Reminding that artificial intelligence and advanced technologies are becoming key elements of military competitiveness, Akıllı noted: “Türkiye’s investments in these areas strengthen not only its own defense capabilities but also its contribution to NATO’s future technological architecture.”

Türkiye has begun preparations for a revised national AI road map coordinated by the Industry and Technology Ministry.

Government institutions, defense companies and private-sector firms are intensifying efforts to expand the country’s AI capabilities in areas ranging from large language models and public-sector applications to data infrastructure and autonomous defense systems.

The road map is expected to prioritize increasing AI computing power, accelerating digital transformation across industries and public services, and expanding the domestic ecosystem for advanced AI technologies.

The youth branch of Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Thursday announced it will hold a march in Istanbul to commemorate the anniversary of the reopening of Hagia Sophia as a mosque, inviting young people and residents across the city to participate.

The event, organized for the second consecutive year by the AK Party’s Istanbul Youth Branch, is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. on Friday at Beyazıt Square. Participants will walk to the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in the city’s historic peninsula.

Speaking ahead of the event, Istanbul AK Party Youth Branch Chair Nevzat Yüce called on Istanbul residents, particularly young people, to join the march marking the anniversary of Hagia Sophia’s reopening for Muslim worship.

“We will come together with the youth of Istanbul and all our fellow citizens to hold a meaningful march from Beyazıt Square to Hagia Sophia,” Yüce said in a statement.

He noted last year’s inaugural march drew strong participation and expressed confidence that this year’s event would once again attract large crowds.

In 2016, the Association for the Service of Historical Foundations and the Environment filed a lawsuit with the Council of State seeking to annul the 1934 Cabinet decision.

The case was resolved on July 10, 2020, when the 10th Chamber of the Council of State unanimously annulled the 1934 Cabinet decision determining Hagia Sophia’s museum status.

The Council of State’s ruling was met with joy by citizens gathered in Hagia Sophia Square.

On the same day, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the Presidential Decree to reopen Hagia Sophia for worship.

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