Türkiye is gearing up for a packed diplomatic calendar in 2026, with Ankara set to host NATO leaders in July and Antalya preparing for the U.N.’s COP31 climate summit in November.
NATO has confirmed its next leaders’ meeting will be held on July 7–8, 2026 at the Beştepe Presidential Compound in Ankara. Announcing the venue, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte thanked Türkiye for hosting, calling it a “strong NATO Ally for more than 70 years.”
Turkish media have also reported that parts of the summit programme may use the newly built Ay Yıldız defence complex in the capital, alongside Beştepe.
Preparations in Ankara are already underway, including work to make Etimesgut Airport suitable for protocol flights, and extensive security planning. Media has reported that traffic restrictions and administrative leave for non-essential public employees during the summit dates are among the options being discussed.
Türkiye will host a NATO summit for the second time. The first was held in Istanbul in 2004, when the alliance welcomed seven new members: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Later in the year, Türkiye is also set to host COP31, with the climate conference scheduled for Nov. 9–20, 2026 at the EXPO area and surrounding venues in Antalya.
Under a compromise arrangement reached after months of competition with Australia, Türkiye will host the summit while Australia leads the negotiation process, and a pre-COP meeting will be held on a Pacific island.
Turkish officials say the COP31 Leaders’ Summit is planned to take place in Istanbul.
Ahead of COP31, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum also announced Türkiye’s Nationally Determined Contribution at COP30 in Belém, describing it as a roadmap toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient future.
