The Presidency's Head of Communications, Burhanettin Duran, met with Ankara newspaper and television correspondents to discuss the 36th NATO Summit.
In his assessment of the NATO Summit to be held in Ankara, Head of Communications Duran stated that NATO has been one of the longest-standing and most institutionalised security alliances to survive since 1949, and that many alliances were formed throughout history to combat specific threats, but when the threat changed, they either fell apart or lost effectiveness.
"What makes NATO different is its ability to renew itself as threats change," stated Head of Communications Duran. He clarified that NATO, which served as a deterrent against the Soviet threat during the Cold War, took on new responsibilities in the Balkans, counterterrorism, and peacekeeping after the war.
Head of Communications Duran stated that security was previously thought to be limited to borders, armies, tanks, aircraft, ships, and the front lines and said, "It now includes cyberspace, energy lines, critical infrastructure, supply chains, public perception, disinformation, and social resilience. Today, it is undergoing yet another transformation in response to conventional war, cyber threats, hybrid attacks, and nuclear risks. Therefore, NATO’s strength stems not only from its military capabilities but also from its ability to regenerate itself at every historical turning point.”
“We see that Türkiye has moved from the periphery to the centre of NATO”
Head of Communications Duran also noted:
"When Türkiye joined NATO in 1952, it was positioned more as a frontline country on the Alliance's southeastern flank; however, this role has changed, and Türkiye has moved from the periphery to the centre of NATO. Türkiye is no longer just a country that protects NATO's borders; it is now an Ally occupying a central position in virtually every issue of concern to the Alliance.
Türkiye is at the centre of NATO's 360-degree security strategy. Today, it would be a shortcoming for NATO to focus solely on threats originating from the east. Threats no longer come from a single direction. Among the most significant crises NATO is dealing with on several fronts are the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza, and the tension between the US and Iran."
Pointing out that Türkiye is an actor that reduces tensions during crises, Head of Communications Duran stated that Türkiye’s approach is to avoid escalating tensions, avoid deepening conflicts, and create space for diplomacy. Head of Communications Duran emphasised that, in this respect, Türkiye stands out as a country that possesses both deterrence and the ability to keep diplomatic channels open.
"Türkiye has become an influential actor on a global scale"
Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has become an influential actor on a global scale, taking initiative with determination in resolving crises, leading efforts to establish diplomatic platforms, striving for regional and global peace, and assuming responsibilities in many areas ranging from security to humanitarian assistance, Head of Communications Duran underlined. He said, "Under the leadership of our President, Türkiye is emerging as a safe haven and is building a 'Türkiye axis'."
Stating that NATO’s Land Command is located in İzmir and that the Headquarters of the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps is located in İstanbul, Head of Communications Duran said, "The Turkish Maritime Task Force, led by TCG Anadolu, participated in Steadfast Dart 26, a NATO exercise extending to the Baltic region, in 2026. Under the Air Policing mission, commitments have been made for Estonia (2026), Romania (2027), and Lithuania (2028)."
“The new concept envisages a more capable alliance that shares burdens fairly”
Head of Communications Duran underlined that the 36th NATO Summit, to be held in Türkiye as the country prepares to celebrate the 75th anniversary of its NATO membership next year, is of critical importance for the future of the Alliance and the global security architecture.
Referring to the fact that the NATO Summit in Ankara will make Türkiye’s diplomatic weight more visible, Head of Communications Duran continued:
"The 2026 Ankara Summit is not merely a matter of hosting. It is a diplomatic stage demonstrating Türkiye’s growing influence within NATO. The Summit will simultaneously showcase Türkiye’s military contribution, defence industry, crisis management capacity, and leadership diplomacy. Ankara’s hosting of the Summit is also symbolically significant. NATO’s security map should not be considered solely from a Western European perspective but also in connection with Southern and Eastern Europe, the Black Sea, and the Middle East." Burden-sharing is one of the main agenda items of the Summit. The changing security architecture is prompting NATO allies to reassess their defence expenditures. In this context, Ankara aims to reach the 3.5+1.5 target by the end of 2030. The new concept, referred to as 'NATO 3.0,' envisions a more capable alliance that shares the burden fairly. Türkiye has supported this approach from the outset."
"Türkiye’s defence industry is a strategic force multiplier for NATO’s deterrence capacity"
Noting that the Turkish defence industry is an element that enhances Türkiye’s strategic autonomy and contributes to NATO’s overall capacity, Head of Communications Duran said, "Türkiye’s capacity in these areas is also important for NATO, because in the future NATO will need not only a quantity of troops but also production capacity, technological flexibility, and supply security. Türkiye’s rise in the defence industry is a strategic force multiplier not only for our national security but also for NATO’s deterrence capacity."
Head of Communications Duran continued, "For this reason, Türkiye sees any restriction imposed on the defence capacity of a NATO ally as, in fact, a restriction on the overall deterrence of the alliance." Stating that “the Defence Industry Forum will become part of the Summit’s official programme for the first time,” Duran noted that, after serving as a side event to the Summit for the past three to four years, the Forum was incorporated into the official programme for the first time at the Ankara Summit.
"A Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the İstanbul Cooperation Initiative will be held"
Head of Communications Duran said that within the scope of the İstanbul Cooperation Initiative, which was launched at the NATO Summit in İstanbul in 2004 and includes Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, a special session will be organised at the level of foreign ministers, and a Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the NATO İstanbul Cooperation Initiative will be held.
Noting that Türkiye will host many international events this year, Duran shared that the NATO Parliamentary Summit will be held in İstanbul on 28-29 June, the 13th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organisation of Turkic States will be held in Ankara in autumn, and the 77th International Astronautical Congress and the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-31) will be held in Antalya in October and November, respectively.