US-Turkish Defense Relations and the Upcoming NATO Summit

Why It Matters

With NATO hosting its 2026 summit in Ankara, U.S.-Turkish defense relations will shape alliance cohesion, defense industrial cooperation, and deterrence posture at a moment of rising technological competition and regional volatility—making progress or setbacks in this bilateral relationship consequential for NATO strategy and capability development.

Summary

Atlantic Council speakers highlighted a renewed dynamism in U.S.-Turkey defense ties ahead of the 2026 NATO summit in Ankara, noting Turkey’s emergence as a major domestic arms producer and exporter—especially in drones—and expanded coordination on regional security from the Black Sea to the Middle East. Panelists framed the Ankara summit as both symbolic and strategic for reinforcing NATO unity, implementing defense spending and industrial-base goals, and managing technological and energy-security competition. They also flagged enduring tensions from past disputes, notably Turkey’s purchase of the Russian S-400 air-defense system, the subsequent F-35 exclusion and U.S. sanctions, and uncertainty about whether recent rapprochement can be sustained amid regional instability. The Atlantic Council said it will convene policymakers and experts to explore pathways for cooperation, divergence management, and summit success.

Original Description

A discussion on the new era for the bilateral US-Turkish defense relationship and the significance of the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara.