NATO plans to invite Gulf countries to a summit in Ankara – Bloomberg

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization intends to invite representatives from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE to its summer summit in Turkey. NATO plans to invite the foreign ministers of the four Gulf countries to the summit in Ankara to strengthen the Alliance’s southern flank in light of regional challenges and the war in Iran. 

This was reported by Bloomberg.

The invited states are participants in the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, which provides for partnership with non-member countries in the Middle East. The meeting is scheduled for July 7–8, though the Alliance is officially refraining from commenting on the list of participants. The initiative to expand the circle of invitees is linked to NATO’s strategy to strengthen security along the Alliance’s southern borders.

The summit will take place in a condensed format with a main session for 32 Alliance leaders, which is explained by the preferences of U.S. President Donald Trump. Leaders of other states, including Ukraine and countries in the Indo-Pacific region, may only participate in side events. Allies are also discussing the possibility of holding such meetings less frequently than once a year, as was the case before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A NATO summit was held in The Hague, following which partners recognized Russia as a “long-term threat” to the entire Alliance.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is convinced of a consensus among NATO members on the need to increase defense spending. This is necessary due to the threat posed by Russia.