Turkey leads NATO summit: "The Alliance is not in crisis, it is only in a process of adaptation"

Turkey’s Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said today, ahead of the upcoming summit of NATO in Ankara, that the Alliance is not in crisis but is going through a process of adaptation to the new global security environment.

Ahead of the NATO summit, which Turkey will host in Ankara on July 7–8, Güler said the focus will be on strengthening unity, increasing defense spending, cooperation in the defense industry, and support for Ukraine, according to Reuters.

The summit will bring together 32 NATO leaders, as well as representatives from Gulf and Asia-Pacific countries, at a time of heightened tensions within the alliance over burden-sharing and security commitments. Güler emphasized that NATO remains a “key platform for Euro-Atlantic security” and added that current changes should be seen as adaptation rather than crisis.

According to him, the United States expects greater responsibility from European allies and Canada, while Turkey should be included in European defense initiatives.