Türkiye has further consolidated its position as one of NATO’s central powers following the 2026 Ankara Summit, which marked a turning point in the Alliance’s post-Cold War evolution, Turkish political analyst Emre Diner told News.Az.
According to Diner, the summit was far more than a routine gathering of Allied leaders, serving instead as the political framework for NATO’s “third major strategic transformation” since the end of the Cold War.
“If we evaluate last week’s 2026 NATO Summit held in Ankara, it was not merely a gathering of leaders. It can be regarded as a summit that shaped the political framework of NATO’s third major transformation in the post-Cold War era,” he said.
The analyst noted that defence spending, the post-Russia–Ukraine war security architecture and defence industrial cooperation dominated the discussions, while the future of transatlantic relations and Türkiye’s strategic role also featured prominently on the agenda.
Diner argued that the summit reinforced Türkiye’s growing importance within the Alliance.
“Looking at the summit from Türkiye’s perspective, Türkiye has once again become one of NATO’s central states. This became even more evident following the summit held in Ankara,” he stated.
According to him, Ankara’s role extends far beyond hosting the event.
“Hosting the summit was not merely symbolic; it once again demonstrated that Türkiye is the only NATO member capable of influencing the Black Sea, the Middle East, the South Caucasus and the Eastern Mediterranean simultaneously. Consequently, this showed that Türkiye is not merely a frontline state, but has also become an influential actor in shaping the Alliance’s strategic decisions,” Diner said.
He also highlighted Türkiye’s increasingly influential diplomatic role, saying NATO members have begun to recognise Ankara’s multidimensional foreign policy.
“Türkiye’s multidimensional diplomacy model has now begun to gain acceptance within NATO. Its ability to engage with Russia while simultaneously maintaining dialogue with Ukraine, as well as the diplomacy it pursued during the Iran crisis, has once again demonstrated that this multidimensional diplomatic approach is being recognised by NATO member states,” he noted.
Diner stressed that the Ankara Summit reflected a broader shift in NATO’s strategic priorities, with the Alliance expanding its focus beyond Russia.
“The Ankara Summit showed that NATO’s perception of threats has expanded. Alongside Russia, regional instability following the Iran crisis, missile and drone threats, cyberattacks, space security, the protection of critical infrastructure, and increasing defence industry production capacity have become part of NATO’s core agenda,” he said.
He added that the summit also underscored Europe’s growing responsibility for its own security as the United States increasingly prioritises the Indo-Pacific region.
“European countries have become more strongly motivated to increase their defence spending. This demonstrated that burden-sharing within NATO is being reshaped and that the Alliance is entering a new balance,” Diner explained.
Summing up the summit’s geopolitical significance, the analyst said NATO has evolved into a broader security organisation with global reach.
“The key message of the nearly two-day summit was that NATO is no longer merely a military alliance defending Europe; it has evolved into a global security network that simultaneously encompasses Europe, the Middle East, the Black Sea and the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Diner concluded that Türkiye’s strategic geography, military capabilities, defence industry and diplomatic influence have made it one of NATO’s indispensable members in this new security environment.
“Within this new framework, Türkiye once again emerged as one of the indispensable countries at the summit, thanks to its geographical position, military capabilities, defence industry and diplomatic network,” he concluded.
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