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- October 13, 202617°
- BIST10012,151-0.94%
- USD49.34+0.24%
- EUR55.21-0.01%
- GOLD4,180.40-0.24%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN82,276+0.64%
- October 13, 202617°
As NATO summit begins in Ankara, Turkey focuses on economic and strategic opportunities
The NATO summit in Ankara promises significant gains for Turkey not only diplomatically but also economically and in terms of the defense industry. The summit will take place against the backdrop of discussions on the alliance's future leadership and structural transformation.
NATO's two-day summit begins tomorrow in Ankara. The Turkish press has gone beyond the summit's official agenda to scrutinize the economic and strategic opportunities for Turkey.
Expected 10 billion lira contribution to the economy
Hürriyet newspaper columnist Sefer Levent wrote that the summit offers a 'historic opportunity' to transform Ankara into a global city. According to Levent, the arrival of more than 8,000 delegations, diplomats and international media members in the capital will create unprecedented activity in the service sector.
Birol Akman, President of the Ankara Tourism Operators Association, predicts that the summit will contribute 8 to 10 billion lira (approximately $171-214 million) to the city's economy. Berker Bülbüloğlu, a member of the Ankara Chamber of Industry and President of the Ankara Tourism Association, stated that the summit could be a significant turning point in the capital's transition to an international event economy.
In addition to tourism and services, the summit is also seen as a unique market for the Turkish defense industry, led by major companies such as ASELSAN and ROKETSAN. Levent stated that the increase in defense spending by allied countries will showcase the achievements of the Turkish defense industry, from autonomous systems to cybersecurity, before NATO decision-makers.
NATO's 'silent transformation'
Milliyet newspaper columnist Güldenir Son Umut, in his article titled 'The Silent Agenda of the NATO Summit in Ankara,' argued that the real transformation is taking place not in the announced agenda items but in the alliance's own structure. According to Son Umut, NATO is evolving from a structure consisting of the general secretariat in Brussels and the military headquarters in Mons into an integrated security platform.
This new model aims to integrate member countries' armies, defense industry companies, digital systems and joint forces into a single system operating under common standards for data sharing, command and logistics support. The author notes that the transformation is accelerating due to the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war and the US tendency to reduce its role in Europe's conventional security.
However, this integration also carries risks: NATO may become increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure, cloud computing and AI-supported coordination systems. Son Umut wrote that the alliance is now shaped not by the question 'Are you inside or outside NATO?' but by 'How quickly and with what standards can you integrate into the system?'
Leadership debate and Turkey's role
US President Donald Trump's calls for European countries to ensure their own security will further highlight the leadership issue at the summit. Milliyet columnist Hakkı Öcal raised the question of which country would take over the flag if the US withdrew from leadership. According to Öcal, Germany could stand out with its large economy, France and the UK with their nuclear capabilities, and Poland with its current defense capabilities.
Öcal stated that Turkey appears to be the candidate that can provide the strongest support to European countries, especially in terms of logistics. However, the author predicts that decision-makers in Washington will persuade Trump to share the defense burden rather than withdraw completely from the alliance.
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