Erdogan at NATO summit: Türkiye’s defense, diplomacy and EU relations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the NATO leaders’ summit in Washington, D.C., which began on Tuesday and will conclude on Thursday. At the summit, heads of state and government, including Erdogan, were welcomed by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and U.S. President Joe Biden.

Washington is hosting the three-day summit where 32 NATO allies will make key decisions about how to continue to protect their 1 billion citizens as the world faces the most dangerous’ security environment since the Cold War, as well as mark the 75th anniversary of the alliance. The leaders posed for a family photo before Stoltenberg and Biden delivered welcoming remarks.

Erdogan participated in the NATO Atlantic Council Heads of State and Government Session, which marked the start of the summit’s formal discussions. Biden highlighted NATO’s strength and unity, emphasizing the alliance’s enhanced defense capabilities and the importance of defense spending.

75th-anniversary celebration

On Tuesday, Stoltenberg celebrated NATO’s 75th anniversary with all 32 leaders. In a speech at the Mellon Auditorium, where the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in 1949, Stoltenberg highlighted NATO’s longevity and success. President Biden presented Stoltenberg with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, honoring his decade of service to the alliance.

Türkiye’s bilateral meetings

Erdogan met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday. The closed-door meeting focused on bilateral relations and regional issues. Erdogan expressed his commitment to strengthening Türkiye-Italy relations and emphasized Türkiye’s efforts to promote peace in the region.

Erdogan also held discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, addressing Israel’s attacks on Gaza. Erdogan urged Scholz to pressure Israel for a cease-fire and emphasized the need to prevent regional conflicts from escalating. They also discussed bilateral relations and Türkiye’s EU membership process, with Erdogan seeking Germany’s support for revitalizing Türkiye’s EU accession.

Summit highlights for Türkiye

Increased defense spending

Türkiye, a NATO member since 1952, was acknowledged for its increased defense spending, now reaching 2% of its gross domestic product. This commitment was praised by NATO, highlighting Türkiye’s dedication to the alliance’s defense capabilities.

Counterterrorism

The summit addressed counterterrorism, identifying it as NATO’s second major threat. The updated strategy document on this topic was seen as a significant achievement for Türkiye, as it reflects the nation’s concerns and priorities.

Ballistic missile defense

Türkiye’s importance in NATO’s ballistic missile defense strategy was reaffirmed. The summit underscored the commitment to fully protect all NATO member states from such threats, an area of particular significance for Türkiye.

NATO-EU relations

The summit supported Türkiye’s stance on NATO-EU cooperation. It was decided that joint projects developed outside the NATO framework should align with the alliance’s defense planning process, reflecting Türkiye’s policy preferences.

Türkiye’s Contributions to NATO

Support for Ukraine

The summit confirmed NATO’s commitment to providing non-monetary contributions to Ukraine, recognizing Türkiye’s efforts under the Montreux Convention and its mediation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The establishment of a NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis and Training Center was also decided, aimed at coordinating support for Ukraine.

Defense industry support

Türkiye reiterated its commitment to enhancing NATO’s defense industry capacity, echoing its support plan accepted at the previous Vilnius Summit. This was further solidified with a new support pledge from Türkiye.

Türkiye to host NATO Summit

Erdogan is expected to continue holding sideline meetings with various leaders as the summit concludes on Thursday. The discussions and decisions made during the summit aim to further strengthen NATO and address global security challenges.

For hosting the 75th NATO Summit, NATO countries thanked the United States, then announced that the next summit will be held in Türkiye after the one in the Netherlands in 2025.

Family dinner

U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted a dinner with NATO  allies and partners at the White House on Wednesday evening.

“Jill and I are honored to have so many close allies and close friends all in the same room,” Biden told the world leaders and their spouses, along with Stoltenberg.

Although the 32 allies do not share a common language or border, Biden said: “We’re neighbors, because we all share common beliefs.”

Erdogan attended the dinner with first lady Emine Erdogan.