Turkish foreign minister to join NATO talks in Sweden ahead of Ankara summit

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend a NATO foreign ministers meeting in the Swedish city of Helsingborg on May 21-22, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said on Wednesday.

The meeting is expected to focus on preparations for the NATO summit to be hosted by Türkiye in Ankara on July 7-8, as well as alliance unity, transatlantic cooperation, strengthening defense industry production capacity, continued support for Ukraine and converting rising defense spending into military capabilities.

Ministers are also expected to discuss developments related to Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, including their implications for Euro-Atlantic security and the broader global security environment.

NATO’s southern flank policies and recent developments affecting Euro-Atlantic security, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war, are also expected to be on the agenda.

The meeting will begin May 21 with an informal working dinner of the NATO-Ukraine Council attended by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.

During the dinner, Fidan is expected to reaffirm Türkiye’s support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity while highlighting Ankara’s diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Ankara summit preparations

On May 22, the meeting will continue with a session attended only by the foreign ministers of NATO’s 32 member states.

Fidan is expected to brief allies on preparations for the Ankara summit during the meeting, which will be the last gathering of NATO foreign ministers before alliance leaders meet in July.

The Turkish foreign minister is also expected to outline Türkiye’s expectations for the summit and stress Ankara’s efforts to ensure the meeting demonstrates NATO unity and cohesion.

Fidan will provide information on Türkiye’s contributions to NATO and highlight the country’s efforts to transform defense spending into military capabilities, emphasizing that transatlantic defense industry cooperation within the alliance should be developed without restrictions.

He is also expected to underscore the importance of NATO’s “360-degree security approach” to counter threats from all directions, including deeper engagement with the alliance’s southern neighborhood and stronger counterterrorism efforts.