Foreign Minister Fidan: Turkey is leading the strengthening of NATO's status ahead of the Ankara summit
[88525] Foreign Minister Fidan: Turkey is leading the strengthening of NATO's status ahead of the Ankara summit
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasizes President Erdogan's decisive role in the planned arrival of Donald Trump to the NATO summit in Ankara.
Strengthening the Turkish position in NATO
Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, spoke regarding the rise of Turkey's influence in the NATO organization. According to a report in Türkiye Gazetesi, Fidan noted that "Turkey is already stronger in NATO," while highlighting Ankara's diplomatic successes on the international stage.
Importance of the summit in Ankara
At the center of attention is the NATO summit scheduled to take place in Ankara on July 7-8, 2026. Addressing the participation of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in the summit, Fidan clarified in Gündem Haber that this is a personal achievement of President Erdogan: "If our President were not there, Trump would not be coming". Fidan added that without Turkish involvement, Trump would have de facto declared the meeting's insignificance.
Sources close to the administration in Ankara emphasize that Trump's presence serves as proof of the effectiveness of Turkish diplomacy, while Turkish sources identified with the administration such as Türkiye Gazetesi are careful to present the narrative of the country's strengthening under Erdogan's leadership.