Turkish President Erdogan holds key meetings at NATO Summit in Vilnius

On Wednesday, he held a closed-door meeting with Spanish Premier Pedro Sanchez, following his discussions with several prominent world leaders.

Reports confirmed that President Erdogan met individually with US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Earlier in the summit, President Erdogan also engaged in fruitful conversations with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, EU Council President Charles Michel, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. A significant announcement was made by Stoltenberg, revealing that Turkey has agreed to present Sweden's NATO accession protocol to parliament, a move that has been long-awaited and highly anticipated.

The NATO summit in Vilnius has been a platform for discussions on various crucial matters. Key topics on the agenda include deliberations on the Ukraine war, the prospects of Sweden's NATO membership, and strategies to bolster defense capabilities and deterrence measures within the alliance. Turkey, a steadfast NATO member for over 70 years, holds the distinction of possessing the second-largest army among member nations, further emphasizing its significance in the organization.

The second day of the summit commenced with a gathering of NATO partner leaders, where Secretary General Stoltenberg stressed the utmost importance of unity among member nations in countering Russian aggression and upholding a rules-based international order. These discussions serve as a critical foundation for shaping the future of the alliance and reinforcing its core values. (ILKHA)