Many people, including academics and representatives of civil society organisations, were arrested or taken into custody in the 24 hours before the NATO Summit in Ankara, according to a report by Sozcu. Around 100 people were taken in during operations over the weekend.
Journalists among those detained
Sozcu notes that among those taken in were the international news editor of T24, Buse Soyutlu, and the editor of Oda TV, Ceren Erdogdu. It is also reported that the general editorial director of KAOS GL, Yildiz Tar, had been remanded the previous week.
Ankara under lockdown
Because of the Summit, many public servants in Ankara will be considered on administrative leave from 6 to 12 July. The protocol routes, accommodation points and the Summit venue have been declared a "red zone". In addition to Esenboga airport, the Akinci base and the expanded Etimesgut airport will be used for transfers.
Trump's motorcade in the capital
The motorcade to be used by Donald Trump appeared on the streets of Ankara. The US President's armoured limousine, known as "The Beast", along with the accompanying security SUVs, was recorded by citizens in the Turkish capital. The Beast was also spotted at a fuel station in Ankara. According to Sozcu, the aircraft that brought the American mission's vehicles to Ankara also carried parts of the helicopter the American President will use. The convoy vehicles, transported by cargo aircraft, were photographed at a fuel station.
Bilateral meetings on the margins
Sozcu reports that, in addition to the official proceedings, significant bilateral meetings will take place. Donald Trump, who has stated that he is taking initiatives for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine, is expected to meet the transitional President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to the article, these meetings come after Trump's statements that if Israel cannot solve the problem with Hezbollah in Lebanon, then Syria could solve it. Al-Sharaa is reported to have denied claims that Syria would confront Hezbollah.
Two days before the meeting with Zelensky, hopes for peace in Ukraine suffered a fresh blow, as Russia carried out one of its largest attacks on Kiev. Nevertheless, Sozcu estimates that the talks to be held on the margins of the NATO Summit will be decisive for the world.
The Summit programme
The official programme begins with the press conference to be given on Monday by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. On Tuesday, under the presidency of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, a meeting of the Constantinople Cooperation Initiative will take place in Ankara, with the participation of Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
On the evening of the same day, President Tayyip Erdogan will host an official dinner in honour of the leaders and their spouses. In parallel, a working dinner of the NATO-Ukraine Council will take place at the level of Foreign Ministers.
On Wednesday a key session will be held, expected to last around three to four hours. Among the participating leaders, Donald Trump stands out, as his visit will be the first by a US President to Turkey since the visit of Barack Obama in April 2009.
Items on the agenda
The agenda will include the Russia-Ukraine war, European security, the issue of the Strait of Hormuz and defence spending. Particular weight is given to the concept of "NATO 3.0", presented as a return of the Alliance to concrete military strength and stronger European leadership.
Allies are expected to examine the implementation of the target set at the 2025 Hague Summit for defence spending at 5% of GDP. In this context, Germany has approved two bills to strengthen its army, while Turkey plans to reach the 5% target by the end of 2030 at the latest.
On the margins of the Summit, a Defence Industry Forum will take place for the first time as part of the official programme, where issues such as missile capabilities and electronic warfare will be discussed.
