Erdogan, NATO chief Rutte meet in Ankara ahead of leaders summit

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Monday, with the two leaders reviewing the agenda for the upcoming alliance summit and exchanging views on regional security developments, according to Türkiye's Communications Directorate.

Summit set to convene Tuesday

Rutte arrived in the capital ahead of a NATO leaders summit set to convene on Tuesday. The meeting addressed the summit's agenda alongside current regional and global developments, the directorate said in a statement posted on the social media platform NSosyal.

Defense and industry cooperation

Erdogan expressed hope that the summit hosted by Türkiye would produce positive results, noting that Ankara has completed all necessary preparations. He emphasized the importance of addressing collective defense matters and strengthening defense industry cooperation among allies during the high-level gathering.

The president also highlighted the Defense Industry Forum scheduled as part of the summit proceedings, stating that he believed the event would draw close attention from participating states. The Ankara summit marks a key moment for the alliance as it grapples with evolving security challenges on its eastern and southern flanks.