The world is passing through a breaking point that will alter the course of history. Precisely at this critical juncture, our country is hosting a historic gathering on July 7-8, 2026, in our capital, Ankara, at our source of pride, the Crescent and Star Joint Headquarters (Ay Yıldız Müşterek Karargahı). The 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit is not an ordinary meeting on the international relations agenda. Member states will outline the framework of their strategic response to the new security paradigm at this meeting. The leaders of 32 allied nations, invited heads of state, ministers and thousands of diplomats will convene in Ankara. It is evident that we are in an era of uncertainty where old rules have been shattered, and we cannot fully predict what we will face tomorrow. In this environment where tension has replaced stability, the Ankara Summit is crucial for NATO’s approach to the new world.
A new era in NATO
To fully comprehend the significance of the summit, it is useful first to summarize the transformation NATO is undergoing. During the Cold War years, NATO represented the “NATO 1.0” model, based on border defense and nuclear deterrence against a distinct adversary. Following the dissolution of the Soviets, the “NATO 2.0” era ensued, characterized by crisis management, counter-terrorism and cross-border operations. Today, however, the global agenda is manifesting in entirely different dimensions.
Security is no longer a simple phenomenon that can be defined merely by frontlines, armies, tanks and weapon systems. Cyberspace, outer space, the electromagnetic spectrum and, particularly, the cognitive domain, where disinformation and manipulation are weaponized, have become inseparable components of the modern security architecture. Thus, the Ankara Summit will serve as a colossal platform where the foundations of this new NATO 3.0 vision, extending from defense industry production to artificial intelligence and from energy security to societal resilience, will be laid.
New responsibilities and European security
Naturally, as the world changes, we are also experiencing a highly vital transformation within the Alliance. In the past, discussions within NATO were solely about “which country will allocate how much for its defense budget.” We are now in a period where duties and responsibilities are also being redistributed. While the U.S. focuses more on space, intelligence and nuclear power, Europe must also take on more responsibility for its own defense, logistics, arms production and its weight within the NATO alliance.
However, it must be clearly understood: Fully ensuring the security of Europe does not merely end with increasing budgets or building new factories. Truly protecting the continent’s borders and being able to instantly intervene in surrounding regional crises is only possible with strong and reliable partners on the ground.
As such, when it comes to European security, the first place eyes turn to is Türkiye, which possesses the second-largest army in the Alliance. Complying with the commitments of the The Hague Summit, Türkiye is one of the top five allies that resolutely increases its defense expenditures and provides the most support to NATO missions and operations. Attempting to exclude a country that undertakes such a vital and indispensable role in the defense of the continent from common defense and security initiatives within the European Union through narrow political interests or covert embargoes is a grave strategic shortsightedness. It must be stated plainly: No defense plan that leaves out an ideal ally like Türkiye can transform Europe into a fully sheltered and secure haven.
The guarantee of stability and peace in the midst of a ring of fire: Türkiye
Türkiye is the strongest and most exceptional example of this ideal ally typology that the NATO alliance requires. Our country has long surpassed the reliable ally role it has maintained since 1952. It has evolved into an actor capable of producing its own security, combating hybrid threats and generating strategic added value for the Alliance.
Türkiye’s indispensability stems not only from its military capacity but also from its land borders exceeding 1,800 kilometers with crisis regions and its principled geopolitical stance. Its ability to simultaneously read the security agendas of both the eastern and southern flanks and contribute to both fronts at the same time is what makes Türkiye unique within NATO... While our country serves as the guarantor of the eastern flank through the Black Sea balance and the Ukraine-Russia War on the one hand, it stands as the most solid fortress of the southern flank against the Middle Eastern tremors caused by Syria, Iraq, the Eastern Mediterranean and Israel’s genocide in Gaza on the other.
Furthermore, with our young and dynamic population and our domestic defense industry, which increases its localization rate day by day, we are one of NATO’s load-bearing pillars. When we look at the map today, we see that we are literally surrounded by a “ring of fire.” To our north, the years-long Ukraine-Russia war; to our south, the Gaza and Lebanon crises that bleed the conscience of humanity; and on the other side, the U.S.-Iran tension that deeply shakes our region... Right in the very center of these horrific instabilities, Türkiye stands tall as the sole guarantee of peace, common sense and stability.
In the Ukraine-Russia war in the north, Türkiye has been the only ally able to speak with both sides, earning trust with its equitable and fair stance. The world still speaks with appreciation of how the global food crisis was averted through the personal intervention of our Honorable President.
To our south, unfolding before the eyes of the entire world and shattering the reputation of international institutions and norms, lies Israel’s ruthless genocide in Gaza. Türkiye has been at the forefront of the countries raising the loudest voice against this oppression globally, standing against the provocations of the occupation network and crying out that lasting peace in our region cannot be achieved without the establishment of an independent State of Palestine on the 1967 borders.
Similarly, in the U.S.-Iran crisis that threatened to set our region ablaze and the navigation risks in the Strait of Hormuz, Türkiye, with its peaceful identity, kept the doors of diplomacy wide open in coordination with friendly nations such as Pakistan and Qatar. It never deviated from its will to seek solutions at the table.
In the new era, security is established not only by military force but also by the power of diplomacy and intelligence. The operational capability and intelligence diplomacy of our National Intelligence Organization (MİT) have become among the most decisive tools of inter-allied trust and crisis management, deepening Türkiye’s contribution to NATO.
Alongside this, Türkiye, which has written an epic in the defense industry, adds colossal strength to the production capacity NATO needs with its unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic warfare systems, and smart munitions. This proficiency of Türkiye in the defense industry, with its three-dimensional depth comprising quantity, quality and sustainability, is an indispensable example for the Alliance’s deterrence architecture.
The NATO 3.0 era: The imperative to speak new words now
Undoubtedly, NATO is the greatest common umbrella for global security. However, it is no longer possible for this umbrella to survive on the bipolar dogmas of the Cold War era or simply by spending more money on weapons. The gridlock we deeply feel in the global system today is not just on the periphery of the system, but right at its heart, namely, in the center of the West. This loss of power and momentum experienced by the Western world internally has long ceased to be a situation that can be covered up with diplomatic wordplay. Indeed, today both academia and administrative cadres openly acknowledge this reality. In fact, the main reason for the pangs of change we are experiencing in the international arena is that we are confronting this great reality.
When we look at history, we can clearly see how concepts have transformed. Just as the rules drawn with definitive borders post-1945 radically changed by the 1990s, we have been experiencing a much deeper fracture, particularly since the 2008 global crisis. Security is undoubtedly at the forefront of the concepts whose meaning this fracture has changed the most. Today, we face the reality of a multipolar, hybrid world where cyber-attacks, artificial intelligence and digital threats take precedence. This reality of multipolarity, which is on everyone’s lips, dictates that our understanding of security must be redefined with a brand-new vision, stripping away old habits.
It is precisely for this reason that it is imperative for NATO to modify itself according to the modern conjuncture, update itself and renew its paradigms. NATO must now utter brand new and bold words about the world. The Alliance must determine a new style in diplomacy and a new method in its discourse and direction. It must produce concrete solutions to the multidimensional needs of today. Because the spirit of this new era, which we call the NATO 3.0 vision, must be exactly this.
An uninterrupted security circle from Texas to Ankara
In the light of all these facts, a clear vision of the future stands before us. There is a very meaningful goal that our Honorable President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has brought to world politics and international relations: To build a common defense network extending from Texas to Ankara, without any “ifs” or “buts”...
Global peace and tranquility can only be achieved by respecting differences, protecting the rights of the other, fighting all forms of terrorism without any hidden agendas and strictly adhering to international conventions. Global security cannot be established with mindsets that put covert obstacles in front of their own allies or sacrifice security sensitivities to narrow political interests. Nor can an alliance be maintained with approaches that ignore the security woes of an ally. Being the true guarantor of United Nations resolutions and universal law should be NATO’s most fundamental mission.
In conclusion, the Ankara Summit is not merely a diplomatic gathering where leaders come together to take a family photo. In the heart of global crises, this summit is a historic milestone that will certify Türkiye as one of the founding elements of the new world order and the NATO 3.0 vision, with its military power, defense industry, diplomatic agility and justice-centered foreign policy. Türkiye, with the deep-rooted experience of yesterday and the unshakable will of today, will continue to be the strongest bridge for world peace.
Dr. Mehmet Muharrem KASAPOĞLU*
*AKP İzmir deputy and member of the NATO PA Turkish Delegation
