U.S. President Donald Trump is set to travel to Ankara next week for a high-level meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO Summit, where regional security, defence cooperation and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are expected to dominate the agenda.
The visit comes at a crucial time for the NATO alliance as member states prepare to discuss increasing defence spending, strengthening collective security and addressing ongoing geopolitical challenges. Turkey is hosting the 2026 NATO Summit on July 7–8, bringing together leaders from all 32 member nations.
According to Turkish officials, Trump and Erdogan are expected to hold bilateral talks covering a wide range of issues, including military cooperation, developments in Syria, the conflict in Ukraine, the situation in Gaza and broader regional stability. Defence industry cooperation and possible progress on long-standing military agreements are also expected to be discussed.
The meeting highlights the close working relationship between the two leaders. Trump has publicly praised Erdogan on several occasions and confirmed that his decision to attend the NATO Summit was influenced by Turkey’s role as host. Analysts believe the personal relationship between the two presidents could help ease tensions within the alliance and facilitate discussions on key security issues.
European allies are hoping the Ankara summit will demonstrate unity at a time of growing global uncertainty. Alongside defence spending and NATO’s future strategy, leaders are expected to discuss continued support for Ukraine, regional conflicts and measures to strengthen cooperation among member states.
The Trump–Erdogan meeting is expected to be one of the most closely watched events of the summit, with its outcome potentially influencing future U.S.–Turkey relations and broader NATO cooperation.
