Trump reaches Turkey for NATO summit, set to meet several alliance leaders | World

US President Donald Trump touched down in Turkey on Tuesday to attend the NATO summit in Ankara. Trump was greeted with a red carpet by the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Trump’s arrival comes amid tensions between NATO members over defense spending, burden-sharing, and the US role in European security.

The summit also comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues despite repeated attempts to broker peace. Trump is set to meet Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the summit. 

Trump will also meet Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who scrambles to rebuild the strife-hit nation after the brutal civil war, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly confirmed. Kelly confirmed the meetings in a call with reporters while previewing the upcoming summit in Ankara.

The US President is also set to hold a press conference before returning to Washington on Wednesday.

Trump’s event in Turkiye

Following his arrival, Trump is scheduled to participate in a bilateral meeting with Erdogan, which will be followed by a dinner for NATO leaders. After the bilateral, President Trump will participate in an official welcome and family photo session and a NATO leaders’ working session. He is also set to hold one-on-one meetings with Zelenskyy and al-Sharaa.

Controversies in NATO over Turkiye

Turkey’s place in NATO has been questioned several times by other NATO members, mainly because of its decision to buy Russian air defense systems, its military strikes against Western-backed Kurdish forces in Syria, and its blocking of Sweden’s NATO membership, according to the Washington Post. 

However, Trump appears to have changed his own stance on the alliance, calling NATO a “paper tiger” and saying the only reason he’s attending this year’s summit is the Turkish President. 

Did the US President praise Turkey?

Speaking at a recent AK Party meeting, which is the current ruling party in Turkey, Erdogan said Ankara’s international profile would grow stronger than ever, with the country positioning itself as a hub for global diplomacy, according to the Washington Post. 

Trump has echoed that sentiment in his own way, describing Erdogan in recent weeks as “his friend” and a “tremendous leader.”

“If not for the fact that it was being held in Turkey by President Erdogan, I don’t think I would’ve gone to it”, Trump told reporters before departing for Ankara.

Written by Bhavye Dhalla. Bhavye is an intern with IndiaTV Digital.

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