President Erdogan: Ankara to gain global diplomatic prominence with NATO, Turkic summits

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Ankara’s international visibility will increase significantly with the upcoming NATO and Turkic States summits, positioning the capital as a global diplomatic hub. Speaking at the Justice and Development (AK) Party’s Central Decision and Executive Board meeting at the party’s congress center in Ankara, Erdogan said the summits would strengthen Ankara’s role on the international stage. “Ankara’s international visibility will increase as never before, and our capital will make a name for itself as a center of global diplomacy,” he said.

Summit agenda

Türkiye is set to host the NATO leaders' summit in Ankara on July 7-8, followed by the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States later this year. The NATO summit will bring together alliance leaders at a critical time, with the alliance facing challenges from the Iran war, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the war in Ukraine. The Turkic States summit will focus on economic integration, energy cooperation, and cultural ties among Turkic-speaking nations. Ankara has been upgrading its infrastructure to host world leaders for these events.

Türkiye’s diplomatic role

Erdogan’s remarks underscore Türkiye’s growing diplomatic ambition. Ankara has been increasingly active in mediating regional conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the Iran-US peace deal. The hosting of multiple high-level summits in a single year signals Türkiye’s emergence as a diplomatic hub. Turkish officials have emphasized that these events will showcase Ankara’s capacity to facilitate dialogue between diverse global actors. The summits also come as Türkiye seeks to balance its relations with the West, Russia, and the Turkic world.