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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated that U.S. President Donald Trump's expected attendance at the highly anticipated NATO summit in Ankara is directly tied to Türkiye's role as the host nation and the diplomatic weight of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Speaking in an interview with Sevil Nurayeva of Türkiye daily in Russia's capital Moscow, along with two other journalists, Fidan highlighted the upcoming summit as a pivotal moment for the military alliance. He emphasized that without Türkiye's facilitation, Trump would likely have skipped the event, which would have amounted to a de facto declaration of his disregard for the transatlantic partnership.
"If it weren't for our president, if it weren't for Türkiye, Trump would not have come, and he would have effectively declared that he does not attach importance to this," Fidan said.
"Preparations are continuing intensely," Fidan stated, pointing out that the most critical issue on the table will be navigating the nuanced differences in how the United States and European members approach NATO's future. He stressed that the alliance faces deeply significant challenges that simply cannot be resolved without the U.S. president.
Elaborating on the internal architecture of NATO, Fidan described the alliance as consisting of roughly three main groups: the United States as one distinct pole, the European Union as another, and the remaining countries forming the third. With the United Kingdom maintaining proximity to the first two camps, Fidan highlighted Türkiye as the only remaining allied nation that possesses the capacity to hold a sovereign stance, effectively acting as an independent pole.
Because of this unique geopolitical footing, Fidan noted that the Ankara summit presents a massive opportunity to address the monumental issues awaiting the alliance.
He conveyed a strong sense of European reliance on Turkish diplomacy, noting, "Everyone, all European leaders, trust in this: President Erdogan and the Turks will manage this process."
Fidan added that Türkiye had foreseen this critical global period when it volunteered in 2024 to host the summit, viewing it as a vital step to cement the country's strategic position within NATO.
Sharing observations from his recent engagements in Russia, Fidan delivered a sobering assessment of the war in Ukraine.
He revealed that Moscow's position remains entirely uncompromising. "During my contacts in Russia, I observed that the views of Russian officials on the Ukraine issue have not changed," he stated. According to Fidan, Russian officials made it clear that a broader peace agreement is currently off the table, telling him, "There is no chance of it happening without the Donetsk issue being resolved."
Fidan offered a more hopeful perspective on bilateral relations with Armenia. He acknowledged that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government has taken "very important steps" toward regional peace. The foreign minister highlighted that the two nations have successfully implemented significant measures, including direct trade and mutual flights.
Referring to an official statement released by the ministry following the latest elections in Armenia, Fidan underscored that the roadmap for the future is clear.
"We are ready for normalization when those conditions emerge," he concluded, reaffirming Türkiye's pragmatic approach to achieving lasting stability in the Caucasus.
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