Trump and EU leaders head to Ankara for NATO summit as Turkey pushes for F-35 engines and defence role
The 36th NATO summit opens in Ankara on 7–8 July, with Donald Trump making the first US presidential visit to Turkey in 17 years and EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa holding separate talks with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
A summit framed by defence and diplomacy
The Turkish capital is hosting the 36th NATO summit, only the second time the alliance has gathered in Turkey after the 2004 Istanbul meeting. Thirty-two heads of state and government, 100 ministers and diplomats, and representatives of international organisations are expected at the Beştepe presidential complex. Ankara has deployed between 50,000 and 56,000 police officers for the event, and a special airport has been prepared for Air Force One.
- Air Force One lands at a specially prepared airport; official welcoming ceremony begins.
- Trump arrives at the Presidential Palace for a second state ceremony.
- One-on-one meeting with Erdoğan starts, scheduled to last until 17:00.
- Official dinner hosted by Erdoğan for NATO leaders at the Presidential Palace.
- Bilateral meetings with Syrian president al-Sharaa, Ukrainian president Zelensky and NATO chief Rutte.
- Trump departs Turkey.
Trump’s 36-hour visit and the Erdoğan meeting
Donald Trump arrives on 7 July at 14:10 local time. After a wreath-laying at Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, he will proceed to the Presidential Palace for a formal welcome. The tête-à-tête with Erdoğan is scheduled from 15:15 to 17:00, followed by expanded delegation talks and a possible joint press conference. On the second day, Trump will hold bilateral meetings with Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte before departing at 17:00.
The defence wish-list: F-35, CAATSA and KAAN engines
At the top of Turkey’s agenda are defence industry issues. Ankara is seeking US approval for a batch of roughly 40 General Electric F110 engines needed for its fifth-generation KAAN stealth fighter. Turkish officials acknowledge that the domestic engine programme is still in a preliminary phase, making the US supply critical. The F-35 programme and CAATSA sanctions are also on the table, though analysts quoted by AFP say the visit is unlikely to resolve the F-35 dispute. Last month Trump promised to make Erdoğan “very happy”, a remark widely interpreted as a signal on the engine deal.
EU seeks to re-energise ties with Turkey
On the sidelines of the summit, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa will hold a working meeting with Erdoğan. The EU side says the current geopolitical environment demands stronger dialogue and cooperation based on the November 2023 joint statement on political, economic and trade relations. Regional developments, including the UN secretary-general’s efforts on Cyprus, will be discussed. Commission spokesperson Olof Gill described Turkey as “an important partner” when asked about von der Leyen’s earlier remarks that had grouped Turkey with Russia and China as a regional risk for the Western Balkans.
Regional flashpoints and Turkey’s role
The summit agenda also covers the Russia-Ukraine war, the Gaza ceasefire, Israel-Iran tensions and security in Syria. Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan struck a defiant tone on Israel.
As long as Israel or any other actor conflicts with our national and regional interests, we have no reason to fear, hesitate or back down. We have no problem. The fight does not scare us, it is our job.
Turkey is positioning itself as an indispensable player in European security, planning to raise defence spending from 2% to 3.5% of GDP. For the first time, the NATO Defence Industry Forum will be an official part of the summit programme, and an Istanbul Cooperation Initiative foreign ministers’ meeting will include Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE.
