NATO Secretary General visits Türkiye in preparation for Ankara Summit, underlines importance of defence industry (nato.int)

• Rutte met with Turkish President Erdoğan to discuss Summit preparations and Türkiye's role in NATO.
• Visited ASELSAN, a major Turkish defence firm, and spoke with young engineers.
• Called for deeper transatlantic industrial cooperation to enhance collective security.

"NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Ankara, Türkiye on 21-22 April 2026 to prepare for the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara. He met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Defence Minister Yaşar Güler. Rutte also toured an ASELSAN technology base, praising Türkiye's 'defence industrial revolution' and emphasizing the need for Allied defence industrial cooperation."