Türkiye in Focus 6-10 July 2026
In this week’s Türkiye in Focus:
- Ankara hosts NATO leaders for landmark summit.
- The Syrian President held high-level talks in Ankara.
- A new debate on national education has ignited.
NATO Ankara Summit Concluded
The NATO Ankara Summit, held on 7–8 July, brought world leaders together in Türkiye’s capital at a critical juncture defined by the ongoing “NATO 3.0” discussions. Marking the second time Türkiye has hosted this high-level gathering since the 2004 Istanbul Summit, the event went beyond standard institutional rhetoric, serving as a dynamic platform for crucial side diplomacy. From a Turkish political perspective, the summit reaffirmed Ankara as a central diplomatic hub, not just a strategic military outpost on the alliance’s southeastern flank and highlighted its capacity to steer complex multilateral dialogues.
The most anticipated engagement of the summit was the bilateral meeting between President Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump. Their joint press conference yielded a notably positive shift in tone regarding long-standing bilateral frictions, with Trump expressing a constructive outlook on lifting CAATSA sanctions and resolving the F-35 fighter jet deadlock. While concrete steps remain to be seen—alluded to by Erdoğan’s enigmatic “watch us” remark during a subsequent press briefing—the diplomatic atmosphere has undeniably shifted. This potential rapprochement comes despite persistent lobbying by Greece and Israel, both of which continue to urge Washington to maintain its restrictive stance toward Türkiye, underscoring the delicate balancing act Ankara must navigate in its relations with the West.
Simultaneously, Türkiye solidified its European security footprint through a significant bilateral breakthrough with the United Kingdom. President Erdoğan’s meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer culminated in the signing of a comprehensive Security and Defence Partnership. This agreement underscores a shared vision for regional stability and cements a robust framework for industrial and military cooperation between two of NATO’s most capable non-EU powers. Meanwhile, the final NATO declaration emphasised the urgent need for increased defence spending and called on European allies to become stronger, more self-reliant actors in the face of the long-term threat posed by Russia.
Beyond the summit’s strategic negotiations, Türkiye used the occasion to reinforce its soft-power credentials. Ankara complemented the diplomatic agenda with carefully curated displays of national heritage, replacing the traditional red carpet with a turquoise one, welcoming leaders with performances by the Ottoman Mehter band, and hosting a state dinner centred on Turkish cuisine. The choreography reflected a broader effort to project Türkiye not only as a security actor but also as a confident regional power with a distinct cultural identity.
Ahmed al-Sharaa’s Diplomatic Foray in Ankara
The NATO Ankara Summit drew influential global figures well beyond the borders of the alliance’s member states, most notably Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Fresh from hosting French President Emmanuel Macron in Damascus, al-Sharaa arrived in the Turkish capital to engage in a series of high-stakes discussions, chief among them pivotal meetings with President Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump. The most significant breakthrough of this diplomatic push was the initiation of the process to remove Syria from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirming that the necessary notification had already been submitted to Congress.
The decision to lift sanctions on Syria represents a historic diplomatic milestone, with potentially significant implications for the country’s reconstruction and economic recovery. More consequential, however, is the growing strategic convergence between Ankara and Damascus. During the summit, President Donald Trump publicly voiced support for Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa alongside President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, while French President Emmanuel Macron criticised Israeli military encroachment on Syrian territory. Sharaa, for his part, delivered his toughest rebuke yet to Israeli aggression, signalling a more assertive regional posture.
That these discussions took place in Ankara illustrates Türkiye’s increasingly prominent role at the intersection of Euro-Atlantic and Middle Eastern diplomacy. By hosting talks involving Western and regional leaders, Ankara reinforced its position as a key interlocutor in shaping Syria’s post-war trajectory. More broadly, the episode highlights Türkiye’s ability to balance its commitments within NATO with an expanding diplomatic role across its immediate neighbourhood.
National Struggle vs War of Independence: The Historiographical Debate in Türkiye
A fresh debate over historical nomenclature has emerged in Türkiye following a meeting between the Minister of National Education, Yusuf Tekin, and MPs from the ruling AK Party. Minister Tekin announced that the school curriculum would transition away from using the phrase “War of Independence” (Kurtuluş Savaşı) in favour of “National Struggle” (Milli Mücadele). While both terms are well-established and generally accepted across the country’s political spectrum, the semantic shift signals a deeper realignment in how modern Turkish history is taught to future generations.
The core of the controversy lies in the subtle ideological connotations embedded within each term. The concept of “independence” or “liberation” (kurtuluş) has traditionally carried a dual meaning for various political factions; it denotes not only the military liberation of occupied Anatolian lands from foreign powers but also a symbolic “liberation” from the political and social structures of the Ottoman Empire. By prioritising the term “National Struggle,” the Ministry aims to reframe this pivotal era. Instead of presenting the birth of modern Türkiye as a sharp, revolutionary rupture from its imperial predecessor, the new terminology emphasises historical continuity and frames the resistance as a collective effort born directly from the existing Ottoman fabric.
This linguistic shift revives a century-long discourse regarding the relationship between the modern Turkish Republic and its Ottoman heritage. While the early republic institutionally inherited many Ottoman administrative structures, its foundational ideological narrative necessitated a clear distinction between the old regime and the new state. Today, however, viewing Turkish history as an unbroken, continuous narrative aligns more closely with the country’s current political and cultural trajectory. By emphasising the “National Struggle,” policymakers seek to reconcile the achievements of the republic with the legacy of the empire, reflecting a broader effort to synthesise Türkiye’s multifaceted historical identity.
Highlights
- At a press conference following the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan noted that his talks with US President Donald Trump included potential joint production of frigates, corvettes, and submarines.
- NATO allies signed defence deals worth tens of billions of dollars during the Defence Forum held as part of the Ankara summit.
- As Somalia debated constitutional and electoral reforms, Türkiye helped facilitate dialogue between the government and the opposition, with mediation efforts supported by the National Intelligence Organisation (MİT). Both sides publicly acknowledged Ankara’s role.
Recent Publications by TRT World Research Centre
The Limits of Hedging? Chabahar and the Future of India’s Strategic Autonomy Policy Outlook by Burak Elmalı
NATO 3.0: Türkiye at the Centre of an Evolving Alliance by Dr Tarek Cherkaoui
The Ankara Summit and Europe’s Trump Moment by Burak Elmalı
2026 World Cup: America First, Football Second by İhsan Faruk Kılavuz
