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Türkiye's permanent representative to NATO, Ambassador Zeki Levent Gumrukcu,says the primary expectation from the Ankara summit is a demonstration of solidarity, as leaders from more than 40 nations, representing a combined $70 trillion economy, gather for the July 7–8 meeting.
Gumrukcu told state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) that the Ankara summit marks a historic step in NATO's 77-year history and that Türkiye considers it "one of the rare summits that may reshape the world order."
Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) President Sekib Avdagic highlighted that the gathering reflects Türkiye's central role in the European security and economic architecture following two decades of defense industry growth.
Gumrukcu said the summit comes at a time of dramatic change in global and regional security dynamics, and that the message of unity NATO sends from Ankara will carry significant weight.
"The primary expectation from the Ankara summit is that the alliance demonstrates solidarity," he said, adding that, "Türkiye has been contributing to NATO for over 72 years, since 1952, and has supported all the decisions taken in the process."
He said the significance of Türkiye's hosting role should be understood within this context.
"Türkiye's strategic importance and constructive approach are well understood by allied countries," Gumrukcu said.
"We believe the Ankara summit will provide a great opportunity to demonstrate this once again," he noted.
Speaking about the scale of the Ankara gathering, Gumrukcu said that alongside the 32 NATO member states, leaders from partner nations would also attend the meeting, bringing the total representation to more than 40 countries.
The combined GDP of nations represented at the summit exceeds $70 trillion, he said.
"Hosting such a meeting in Ankara is a concrete indication of the high level of trust that NATO allies place in Türkiye," Gumrukcu said.
He said the NATO Defense Industry Forum, being held for the first time as part of a leaders' summit, would take place in Ankara on July 7.
"This is a historic first for Türkiye and for NATO," he said, adding, "The defense industry forum will showcase Türkiye's capabilities and will enable important steps in alliance-wide defense industrial cooperation."
"The NATO Ankara summit shows the strategic and central role our country has gained in the security and economic architecture of Europe through the achievements it has made in the defense industry over the past 20 years," ICOC President Avdagic said.
He noted that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has highlighted 3,000 Turkish defense industry companies operating across the NATO geography, describing it as a demonstration of the sector's strength.
Avdagic also pointed out that the combined economic output represented at the summit, roughly $70 trillion, amounts to approximately 2.5 times the size of the United States economy, which Rutte has described as $30 trillion.
Gumrukcu said the Ankara summit will address the implementation of defense spending commitments, defense industrial cooperation and support for Ukraine.
He noted that Türkiye has consistently fulfilled its NATO obligations and expects the same from all allies.
"Türkiye has increased its defense spending significantly in recent years and continues to do so," Gumrukcu said. "Türkiye's defense industry has reached a level that contributes directly to NATO's collective capabilities."
On bilateral relations with the United States, Gumrukcu said Türkiye expects the summit to provide an opportunity to advance discussions on the F-35 program and the removal of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions linked to Türkiye's S-400 acquisition.
"These are issues that have been on the agenda for some time," he said, adding, "We believe the summit provides a positive environment for progress."
Gumrukcu said the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum (NSDIF), scheduled for the first day of the gathering, will demonstrate that defense industrial cooperation has moved to the center of the alliance's strategic agenda.
"Defense industry is no longer a secondary issue for NATO, it is a core strategic priority," he said.
"Türkiye is ready to play a leading role in this area," the official noted.
He said Türkiye's defense exports, which have reached $10 billion, and its growing capabilities in drones, naval platforms, missiles and defense electronics position it as an indispensable contributor to the alliance.
"The Ankara summit is an opportunity for Türkiye to demonstrate to the world, concretely, the value it adds to NATO," Gumrukcu said.
Avdagic said the NSDIF will move Türkiye's defense industry ecosystem to the center of global partnerships.
"The NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum, which is the highest-level pioneering event in NATO's transatlantic defense production, investment, and innovation, is also important for our country," he said.
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