Even before the NATO summit in Ankara had begun, it had already been declared that Türkiye would be the winner. As is customary, it was hardly surprising that the pro-regime press – which attributes every domestic and international development to the regime’s success and Erdoğan’s leadership qualities – would not let this opportunity pass. Indeed, even before the guests had set foot in Ankara, it had already been announced that Türkiye had become a central country setting the agenda and devising strategy.

In fact, the Ankara summit went down in history as a ‘historic’ event at which rhetorical grandstanding reached its peak. The meeting, held annually in a member state, was presented as an exceptional milestone in which ‘world leader Erdoğan had brought all the heads of state to his doorstep’. It was remarked that world leaders gazed upon the Presidential Palace with a touch of admiration, but largely with envy. It was reported that the guests were spellbound by the Mehter march, which conveyed a message of ‘national memory’, whilst the Janissaries once again etched the grandeur of the Ottoman Empire into their memories.

Erdoğan even stated that he told the leaders, "You know the Janissary well." (For instance, the Canadian Prime Minister or Trump!). Exceptional delicacies prepared by Michelin-starred chefs thrilled the palates of the guests. Finally, the loaded revolvers thrust into the hands of the leaders dazzled everyone. Meanwhile, hundreds of NATO protesters were being thrown into jail, a stand-up comedian criticising the government was being arrested, the right to defence of Istanbul’s elected mayor was being obstructed, and CHP mayors were being detained in turn... these issues did not even enter the agenda of European leaders, who have supposedly taken their share of Western civilisation and once stood out for their "sensitivities" regarding democracy and human rights. They must think they are saving face with the routinely published European Union Commission Türkiye Reports.

TRUMP’S MARK ON THE SUMMIT

On just one point, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte merely remarked, “Elections are, of course, important, but democracy also means a free press.” Whilst on the subject of Rutte, let us highlight a critical point. The overall structure of the summit was based on countries other than the US – which had fallen into line at last year’s Hague summit by pledging to increase defence spending – adopting a low-profile stance to avoid drawing Trump’s wrath. The task of satisfying Trump’s inflated ego, appeasing him by endorsing everything he said – in a sense, acting as a madman – fell to Rutte, who had already been branded a ‘sycophant’. This was because if the other leaders representing their governments had gone too far in praising Trump, they would have faced backlash from their own domestic publics.

It could be said that Trump left his mark on the Ankara summit. Whilst he criticised his allies for failing to provide sufficient support in Iran, Gaza and Lebanon, his effusive praise for Erdoğan must never be forgotten. This fact should be recalled whenever political Islamists mention Gaza. Trump also announced in Ankara that the agreement with Iran had come to an end. Tensions remain high at present, and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has been suspended. It can also be said that the US secured significant concessions regarding the increase in defence spending to 5 per cent of member states’ GDP. NATO Deputy Secretary-General Radmila Shekerinska stated that, in 2025 alone, European Allies and Canada had increased their defence spending by 20 per cent. These countries’ total defence spending in 2026 is expected to reach 634 billion dollars. According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the EU’s defence budget will reach 800 billion euros in 2023.

NEW COOPERATION MODEL

An integrated arms production model came to the fore at the NATO summit. Rutte voiced that NATO's power will increase even further with collective investments. It was announced that the industrial base would expand through new projects and partnerships; and that a $50 billion agreement covering reconnaissance, space technology, long-range missiles, command and control, aerial platforms, submarines, and drones was signed within the scope of the Defence Industry Forum. It is also known that cooperation in Artificial Intelligence and cloud technologies is vital for the defence industry to make a breakthrough. However, the US is not expected to be generous in sharing its technological superiority in these areas. Already, European powers are trying to strike a balanced line in order to both please Trump and gain relative autonomy in defence.

A $50 billion long-range programme by Britain, France, and Germany, capable of reaching as far as Moscow, was also announced at the summit. Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, and BNP Paribas will provide $217 billion in financing for the programme. The tenders will fill the coffers of firms like Lockheed Martin, Saab, Northrop Grumman, and Airbus. Even this design is a clear example showing how intertwined geopolitics and the economy have become.

TRUMP’S PASSION FOR GREENLAND

Trump showed at this summit too that he had not abandoned his desire to annex Greenland. The reaffirmation of the importance of Article 5—namely, that an attack on one member state is deemed to be an attack on the entire NATO alliance—was rendered meaningless by Trump’s statement. The very raison d’être of NATO continued to be called into question.

If there is one country that came out of the summit profitably, it can be said to be Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelensky showed off his capabilities by saying that his drones hit a refinery 2,700 km away in the depths of Siberia. With the approval of Trump, who had previously been hesitant on this issue and who humiliated Zelensky at the White House last September, an $80 billion military support package for Ukraine was decided upon. The most important point of this package was Trump’s announcement that the Patriot air defence system would be given to Ukraine. He even stated that the production technology could be given to Kyiv with Lockheed Martin's approval, and that the company would be very pleased with this news. An arms company receiving new tenders and having billions of dollars flowing into its coffers would, of course, be happy with this situation.

VAGUE PROMISES MADE TO TÜRKİYE

Speaking of Patriot, we can move on to Türkiye. While this missile defence system is being given to a non-NATO member country, it is hard to answer how one can claim to have emerged with great success from a summit where this possibility was not even uttered for member Türkiye. Yes, the CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) sanctions were lifted, but this was already a measure aimed at adversary countries. For a country whose services are so highly appreciated, it should not have even been on the agenda. Trump’s statements regarding the sale of F-35 fighter jets did not give a clear message either. It was observed that the US president constantly changed his tune. Moreover, the delivery requires the approval of Congress, which will not be easy to obtain. There is talk of the possibilities of completely disabling the S-400 missile system purchased from Russia or selling it to a third country. How such a step will affect relations with Russia, where a policy of constant balance is pursued, and how the damages arising from the S-400 purchase—which was never activated—will be accounted for, remain as question marks.

NEW SECURITY ARCHITECTURE

It is clear that Türkiye is an important partner for NATO with its strategic location encompassing the Middle East, the Caucasus, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Black Sea. It is also undeniable that, with the leaps it has made in the defence industry in recent years, it carries a serious arms supply potential, especially for European partners. It can also be expected that Trump, pleased with Türkiye’s services, will assign new missions to Ankara in the region, especially in Syria, whose removal from the terrorist state list is on the agenda.

Despite all these factors, it is not easy to say that Türkiye left its mark on the process in Ankara and was the winner of the summit. For us, winning the appreciation of an organisation that bears the characteristics of a US-guided war machine, has dark pages in the country's history, and poses a threat to our neighbours—primarily Iran—already holds no real value. Our duty is to ponder how to build a new security architecture rising on peace, disarmament, and cooperation.

Note: This article is translated from the original article titled NATO Zirvesi’nin ardından, published in BirGün newspaper on July 14, 2026.