Poland's delegation includes President Karol Nawrocki and two deputy prime ministers – Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.
Ahead of the summit, Kosiniak-Kamysz and Sikorski told a joint news conference on Friday that the meeting would aim to demonstrate NATO's cohesion and reaffirm the importance of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland would push in Ankara for a stronger NATO eastern flank, including expanded fuel pipelines and improved military mobility in the event of crisis or war.
He also pointed to the need for higher military spending across the alliance, citing Poland as a model example: the country is already meeting the target agreed at last year's NATO summit in The Hague – 5 percent of GDP on defence by 2035.
Kosiniak-Kamysz arrived in Turkey in the morning to attend the NATO Defence Industry Forum, before meeting several counterparts, including the defence ministers of Austria, Latvia and New Zealand.
According to NATO's schedule, Tuesday evening opens with a reception and dinner for heads of state and government and their spouses, followed by a working dinner of the NATO-Ukraine Council at foreign ministers' level, then one for defence ministers.
Smaller, informal delegation meetings are due to take place earlier in the day.
The summit's main session comes on Wednesday, when the North Atlantic Council meets at the level of heads of state and government – the central event of the two-day meeting.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is due to hold a news conference afterwards.
(ał)
Source: IAR