Türkiye will implement extraordinary security measures in the capital Ankara ahead of the NATO leaders’ summit scheduled for early July, as preparations continue for what Washington has described as the most important meeting in the alliance’s history.
Road closures and extensive airspace restrictions will be enforced across the city during the July 7-8 summit, with Ankara’s skies protected by air defense systems and F-16 fighter jets, the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported on June 4.
Routes connecting Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport and Etimesgut Airport, which will be used for summit-related operations, as well as the Söğütözü district, home to the Presidential Complex, areas surrounding hotels hosting world leaders and key transit routes will be designated as high-security “red zones.”
Access to these “red zone” areas will be restricted to authorized personnel only.
Domestic flights may also be affected by the security arrangements, while international arrivals will be restricted and monitored through special tracking systems.
In addition to the capital’s existing surveillance network, advanced monitoring cameras will be installed at 100 critical locations.
Facial-recognition systems will be deployed along routes designated for visiting leaders and other strategically important sites.
Approximately 40,000 police officers and gendarmerie personnel will be deployed during the summit, with security units operating around the clock.
As part of the measures, all demonstrations, public gatherings and marches will be banned in Ankara between July 1 and 15.
Authorities will also require all hunting and firearms retailers in the capital to remove weapon displays from shop windows during the summit period.
Public-sector employees working in nine central districts of Ankara who are not directly involved in summit-related duties will be placed on administrative leave on July 7, 8 and 9.
Plans have also been drawn up for employees of private companies located within the summit zone to work remotely.
Meanwhile, Etimesgut Airport’s runway has been expanded to accommodate aircraft carrying leaders expected to attend the gathering.
The runway length has been increased from 2,450 meters to 3,000 meters, while its width has been expanded from 42 meters to 60 meters.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently confirmed that President Donald Trump will attend the NATO heads-of-state summit in the Turkish capital, describing it as the “most important meeting” in NATO’s history because “there are some things here that need to be cleared up and fixed.”
Trump has repeatedly voiced frustration over what he views as insufficient support from several NATO allies during the conflict with Iran, particularly regarding access to military facilities and operational cooperation.
The U.S. president has argued that these disputes have reignited broader questions in Washington about burden-sharing within the alliance and NATO’s overall strategic purpose.
