Turkiye tightens security ahead NATO summit
Turkiye is rolling out sweeping security measures for next month’s NATO summit, deploying tens of thousands of police and placing air defenses on high alert, while banning public gatherings and imposing controversial restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly.
That’s meant to safeguard the summit, but also to display strength and underscore Turkiye’s commitment to NATO, even as it is often portrayed as an outlier within it.
On July 7–8, leaders from all 32 member states are expected convene in the Turkish Capital, including U.S. President Donald Trump, whose threats to withdraw from NATO and reduce U.S. troop levels have cast uncertainty over the alliance’s future. Turkiye has also unveiled a new VIP airport, converted from a former military airfield, specifically to host NATO leaders. At the Ankara summit, NATO members are expected to address questions over defense spending and the US’s evolving role in the alliance.
The main agenda will center on unity after Trump has criticized allies for failing to support the US-led war on Iran and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “The important aspect of the meeting is to what extent the rift between the United States and Europe can be healed or narrowed during the summit,” said Fatih Ceylan, a former Turkish ambassador to NATO and security analyst at the Ankara Policy Center. “We should not expect miracles, but nonetheless, if there is a convergence of ideas emphasising the importance of NATO, that should be seen as a success.”
