For the sake of good old NATO, we need to keep Russia in play

Ankara, Türkiye, will host the 2026 NATO summit on July 7-8, the second time the country has held the event. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has indicated that leaders will announce billions in defense deals during the summit.

This year's summit holds particular significance for Türkiye, with U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly planning to make the country "extremely happy." Unconfirmed reports suggest the U.S. government might deliver the 116 F-35A CTOL fighter jets that Türkiye paid for in 2019. Additionally, the Trump administration has notified Congress of its intent to sell 80 jet engines worth over $700 million to Türkiye, which could enable the serial production of Turkish Kaan warplanes.

Beyond military hardware, speculation is mounting that Trump intends to initiate a significant restructuring of the transatlantic relationship. According to unconfirmed reports, Trump may suggest that European allies pass leadership responsibilities within NATO to Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This potential shift follows Trump's expressed frustrations with European leaders regarding their defense budget contributions.

Trump's focus remains on his domestic agenda, aiming to rally his base ahead of the upcoming elections. However, his actions at the NATO summit could have lasting implications for the alliance's future structure and Türkiye's role within it.

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Look, he's (President Erdoğan) a member of NATO. Some people don't consider himself (a NATO member), but he really is.