author | Insight Turkey https://www.insightturkey.com/ author EN authorAs NATO approaches its 2026 Ankara Summit, the alliance faces its most demanding transformation since the end of the Cold War. Türkiye’s role within NATO has undergone a fundamental strategic shift, from a southeastern flank state providing territorial depth to a central, operationally indispensable ally shaping the alliance’s deterrence posture, institutional direction, and crisis management capacity. Drawing on Türkiye’s sustained operational contributions, its 360-degree security approach, and its demonstrated capacity to project force and exercise command at scale, the commentary contends that the Ankara Summit represents a defining moment, one at which this repositioning must be reflected in the alliance’s political and institutional frameworks. It also issues a clear warning: the European Union’s exclusionary approach to non-member NATO allies risks inflicting strategic damage on Euro-Atlantic security that would exceed even the consequences of reduced American force presence on the continent.https://www.insightturkey.com/author/yasar-guler/from-flank-to-center-turkiye-nato-and-the-ankara-summithttps://www.insightturkey.com/author/yasar-guler/from-flank-to-center-turkiye-nato-and-the-ankara-summitWed, 01 Jul 2026 15:31:00 GMT