In a statement issued today, the Presidency's Head of Communications of the Republic of Türkiye, Burhanettin Duran, regarded the Ankara NATO Summit as "another turning point in the Alliance’s historical evolution", saying that the evolving global security environment requires NATO Allies to address emerging threats and redefine their shared priorities.
Speaking at the "Allies in Ankara" event, co-organised by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications, Munich Security Conference (MSC), and Foundation for Political, Economic, and Social Research (SETA) on the margins of the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, Duran pointed out that the occasion marks the 36th Summit of the Alliance and Türkiye's second hosting of a NATO summit following the one held in İstanbul in 2004.
He added that the international security environment has become significantly more complex and unpredictable, driven by the stiff competition among major powers, regional conflicts, technological advancements, hybrid threats, and the mounting pressure on the rules-based international order.
"These developments require NATO Allies to reassess emerging threats and redefine their shared priorities. In this regard, the Ankara Summit represents another turning point in NATO’s historical evolution," Duran said.
He opined that the Russia-Ukraine war exposed the weak points in Europe's security architecture, while the conflicts involving Iran and the Gulf states demonstrated the direct impact of energy flow and maritime routes on Euro-Atlantic security.
Stressing that the instability in the Middle East will inevitably lead to broader security risks, he added that NATO's eastern and southern flanks can no longer be considered separately.
In defining the "NATO 3.0" concept, Duran said that the Alliance ought to have coordinated political instruments and a shared understanding of how military and non-military tools can work together.
Touching on Türkiye's role in the Alliance since its NATO membership in 1952, Duran outlined that the country possesses the second-largest army in NATO and has contributed significantly to crisis management and peace support operations, military training, and post-conflict reconstruction in a broad region, including Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia, and Iraq.
Duran pointed out that Türkiye maintains dialogue with both Ukraine and Russia, as well as Iran and the US, and that this diplomatic capacity enables the country to contribute to de-escalation efforts.
Speaking about their defence capacity, Duran said that Türkiye's defence spending has exceeded NATO's two per cent of GDP target and that their defence budget increased from $13 billion in 2021 to nearly $32 billion in 2025. He added that aerospace exports have surpassed $10 billion, while the domestic production rate in the defence industry has reached 82%.
Moreover, Duran highlighted the vital importance of the Turkish defence industry's high-quality output, manufacturing capacity, combat-proven systems, and sustainable practices, alongside the extent of investments, regarding this as a national resource contributing to NATO's collective deterrence.
Noting that cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and AI-driven manipulations have become key elements of strategic competition, Duran said that public opinion, communication networks, and critical infrastructure are increasingly exposed to security threats. He called for NATO's defence doctrine to integrate cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the protection of critical infrastructure.
According to the statement from the Presidency's Directorate of Communications of the Republic of Türkiye, Duran concluded by expressing his hope that the Ankara Summit would be beneficial in bridging the substantial gap between what NATO has pledged and what it is capable of achieving.