A high-level panel titled “The Future of NATO and Poland–Türkiye Defence Cooperation” was held in the Polish capital Warsaw through cooperation between Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications and the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW).

The event was organized ahead of the Extraordinary NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government, which is scheduled to take place in Ankara on 7–8 July 2026 under Türkiye’s hosting.

According to officials, the Warsaw meeting formed part of a broader series of events being organized by Türkiye across allied European capitals in preparation for the summit, with the aim of strengthening dialogue on NATO’s future and regional security challenges.

As part of the program, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Warsaw, Rauf Alp Denktaş, hosted a press meeting at the Turkish Embassy.

The meeting was attended by Fatma Aksal, who also serves in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and Oktay Fırat Tanrısever. Participants answered questions from journalists regarding Türkiye’s approach to NATO and current international developments.

The main panel session was moderated by Karol Wasilewski, Head of the Türkiye, Caucasus and Central Asia Department at OSW. Speakers included Turkish and Polish officials, academics, and security experts who discussed the future of NATO cooperation amid growing global instability.

Among the speakers were Damian Przeniosło, Deputy Director of the Security Policy Department at Poland’s Foreign Ministry, and Justyna Gotkowska, Deputy Director of OSW and Head of its Security and Defence Department.

Participants emphasized that the current international climate — shaped by the Russia-Ukraine war and increasing instability in the Middle East — has heightened uncertainty and reinforced the importance of NATO’s collective security framework.

The panel described the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara as a potentially critical turning point for strengthening unity, solidarity, and strategic coordination among allied countries.

Discussions also focused on Türkiye’s longstanding contributions to NATO since joining the alliance and its strategic geopolitical position within the organization.

Speakers evaluated Türkiye’s role in regional security, defense cooperation, and crisis management, underlining Ankara’s importance for NATO’s southern flank amid ongoing regional tensions.

The event brought together diplomats, academics, bureaucrats, and representatives of Polish think tanks working in the fields of foreign policy and security studies, reflecting growing interest in expanding Türkiye-Poland strategic cooperation within the NATO framework. (ILKHA)