Ankara: The 36th NATO Summit commenced in Ankara with the inauguration of the Defense Industries Forum, emphasizing transatlantic production and investment.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the summit, held for the second time in Turkey's history, began with the forum as a centerpiece, marking its first inclusion in the official summit program. The forum is set to feature significant discussions, including an "important announcement," with speeches from Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Defense Minister Yasar Gler, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Notably, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who arrived in Ankara this morning, is also expected to address the forum.

The Presidential Complex in Ankara will host the heads of state and government of the alliance on Wednesday, following today's events involving defense and foreign ministers of member states. The summit's agenda underscores increasing defense industry production among allies, as previously emphasized by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is slated to conduct bilateral meetings with various leaders on the sidelines of the summit, including US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. The summit's notable attendees also include Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and others.

The summit will feature two working dinners, including foreign and defense ministers, and a special session at the foreign minister level within the framework of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI). The ICI, which includes Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE, was launched at the 2004 NATO summit in Istanbul. A meeting between NATO foreign ministers and ICI member states is also on the agenda.

This summit holds significant importance given the current challenges facing the alliance and the broader global security landscape.