Turkey aims to bridge transatlantic divide as it hosts NATO summit

As NATO leaders meet for a summit in Ankara, Turkey is positioning itself as a bridge between Europe and the United States while highlighting its role as a key security partner close to many of the alliance's most pressing challenges, analysts say.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) welcomes US President Donald Trump (left) at Ankara Airport ahead of a NATO summit in the Turkish capital, July 7, 2026.

Photo: EPA/OSMANCAN GURDOGAN

Ankara hopes to help ease tensions between the United States and its European allies, which have deepened over Washington's criticism of Europe's response during the Iran conflict and what the US administration sees as insufficient defence spending.

How exactly does Turkey intend to bridge the transatlantic divide? Michał Owczarek put that question to Prof. Murat Arslan of Hasan Kalyoncu University, a private university in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep.

Prof. Murat Arslan (right) speaking at the Warsaw East European Conference. Photo: Michał Owczarek/Polish Radio

Click on the audio player above to hear the interview