Ankara NATO summit to mark new era for Turkish-US alliance
Experts in Washington have highlighted Türkiye’s growing strategic weight in NATO, arguing that the July summit in Ankara offers a chance to redefine the alliance for a new geopolitical era. Türkiye and the US are expected to play “leading roles” in the alliance’s transformation.
A panel in Washington, DC, has underscored Türkiye’s increasing strategic importance within NATO, with experts stating that the upcoming summit in Ankara presents an opportunity to reshape the alliance amid shifting global dynamics. The event, titled “The Turkish-American Alliance at the Heart of NATO’s New Geopolitics,” was organised by Türkiye’s Communications Directorate and the SETA Foundation ahead of the July 7-8 NATO Summit — the second time Türkiye has hosted a NATO leaders’ meeting since Istanbul in 2004.
Transatlantic vision and defence industrial growth
In a video message, Turkish Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said: “In our 74-year journey with NATO, we have faced many challenges and difficulties. Each time, in keeping with the principle of mutual loyalty, we have managed to overcome these tests.” Presidential advisor Cagri Erhan added: “As during the conditions in the early 1950s, the United States and Türkiye will play the leading role for this new era of transformation.” Former US Ambassador to Türkiye James Jeffrey noted that Türkiye has played a decisive role in every major security challenge from Ukraine to the Middle East.
Defence industrial shift and ‘responsible adult’
Rich Outzen of the Atlantic Council pointed to growing US-Turkish defence industrial cooperation, saying: “The new paradigm is Türkiye makes good enough stuff that there are actually US companies that want to buy it,” citing collaboration in shipbuilding, drones, and AI. Roger Kangas of the Caspian Policy Center suggested Türkiye “may have to be the responsible adult in the room” to bridge diverging allies. The Ankara summit is expected to showcase Türkiye’s role as an indispensable NATO member bridging Europe, the Black Sea, and the Middle East.
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