DUBAI
\nTurkiye is preparing for next week\u2019s NATO summit with heightened security measures across Ankara, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to use the gathering to reinforce the country\u2019s role as a key player in the alliance. Tens of thousands of police officers have been deployed, air defenses placed on alert and restrictions imposed on public gatherings as leaders from all 32 NATO members prepare to meet in the Turkish capital on July 7-8.
\nThe summit is expected to bring together US President Donald Trump and other world leaders at a time of growing tensions within the alliance over regional conflicts, defense commitments and Washington\u2019s relationship with European partners. Hosting the summit offers Ankara an opportunity to highlight Turkey\u2019s strategic importance as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East, analysts say.
\n\u201cTurkey wants to position itself as an indispensable actor in security and geopolitical processes in Europe and beyond,\u201d foreign policy expert Serkan Demirtas told media. A NATO member since 1952, Turkey has the alliance\u2019s second-largest army and occupies a strategic position connecting Europe, the Middle East, the Black Sea and the Caucasus.
\nAnalysts say Turkiye\u2019s importance has grown since the Russia-Ukraine war, with Ankara maintaining ties with both Moscow and Kyiv while also seeking a diplomatic role in regional conflicts. \u201cTurkiye has supported Kyiv, sometimes quietly, with key munitions and equipment, while also maintaining channels with both sides in an effort to pursue a diplomatic solution,\u201d said Luke Coffey, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.
\nHowever, Turkiye\u2019s relationship with its NATO allies has faced repeated strains, including Ankara\u2019s purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems, which led to its removal from the US-led F-35 program, and its initial opposition to Finland and Sweden joining NATO.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DUBAI Turkiye is preparing for next week\u2019s NATO summit with heightened security measures across Ankara, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to use the gathering to reinforce the country\u2019s role as a key player in the alliance. Tens of thousands of police officers have been deployed, air defenses placed on alert and restrictions imposed on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":554008,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-553990","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n