Donald Trump is set to meet Erdogan face-to-face on July 7 in Ankara, as Turkey hosts the NATO Summit on July 7 and 8. T...

Donald Trump is set to meet Erdogan face-to-face on July 7 in Ankara, as Turkey hosts the NATO Summit on July 7 and 8. Turkish media have begun leaking details of the visit schedule, and the meeting is shaping up to be one of the more consequential bilateral encounters on the summit's sidelines. According to Turkish media reports, Trump will arrive in Ankara on July 7 accompanied by a large American delegation that has already begun security preparations and operational planning for the visit. His first official stop is Anitkabir, the mausoleum of modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, where he is expected to pay his respects before heading to the Presidential Palace for a formal reception ceremony hosted by Erdogan. After the welcome ceremony, the two leaders are expected to hold a private one-on-one meeting, followed by expanded talks between the two delegations covering a range of bilateral and regional issues. Turkish sources have not confirmed what will be on the agenda, but cooperation agreements may be signed at the end of the talks, and a joint press statement is under consideration. Alongside the NATO Summit itself, a Defense Industry Forum is scheduled on July 7 at the ATO Congresium, bringing together NATO officials, government representatives, and leading defense companies. The forum is aimed at advancing new partnerships and arms procurement programs among member states. The Ankara summit comes as NATO allies face mounting pressure to increase defense spending, and as Turkey continues to play a central, if often unpredictable, role within the alliance. #NATO #Trump #Erdogan