Trump Arrives in Türkiye for NATO Summit, Erdoğan Talks

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara on Tuesday to attend the NATO Summit, where he is scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan before the alliance's main leaders' session on Wednesday, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondent.

Trump is due to hold bilateral talks with Erdoğan at the presidential palace before joining an official leaders' dinner, AFP reported. The visit comes as NATO leaders gather in the Turkish capital for discussions on the alliance's security and defense priorities.

According to reporting by The New York Times, Trump is expected to tell Erdoğan that he is prepared to restore Türkiye's participation in the F-35 stealth fighter program, potentially reversing Washington's decision during his first administration to remove Türkiye from the multinational project following Ankara's purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.

The newspaper reported that U.S. officials have been examining possible legal pathways for such a move, while cautioning that no final decision has been announced.

The expected discussion comes as NATO seeks to demonstrate stronger allied defense capabilities.

The Associated Press reported that the alliance has unveiled new multinational procurement initiatives and defense industry projects, while AFP reported that NATO also highlighted billions of dollars in new defense contracts aimed at reinforcing European security and sustaining U.S. engagement.

Trump's meetings are scheduled to continue ahead of the summit's main session on Wednesday.

Further details are expected as Trump's meetings and summit events get underway.

This report was updated on Tuesday, Jul. 7, 2026, at 02:07pm.