Antalya: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed that NATO’s core values of peace and stability are under unprecedented threat in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine. In his opening remarks at the NATO informal meeting last night in the southwestern Turkish province of Antalya, Fidan emphasized the significance of the gathering as an opportunity for extensive consultations ahead of the Hague summit scheduled for next June.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Fidan described NATO as “the most successful alliance in the history of humanity,” attributing its strength not only to its collective military might but also to its embodiment of a community of shared values, principles, and ideas. He highlighted the importance of the NATO meeting, as the core values of peace and stability are under significant threat in regions such as Ukraine and Gaza.

The Turkish Foreign Minister underscored that “our strongest asset to confront these challenges is our unity and solidarity.” Antalya is currently hosting an informal meeting of the foreign ministers from NATO’s 32 member states, a critical platform for addressing these pressing issues.

During the Antalya meeting, participants are set to discuss preparations for the forthcoming NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, which is scheduled to take place in The Hague on June 24 and 25. The foreign ministers of the member states are expected to convene with the Secretary General and other senior NATO officials during a social event on Thursday evening.

The informal meeting, scheduled for next Friday, aims to facilitate an exchange of views on priority issues on the NATO agenda, paving the way for potential decisions at the upcoming Hague summit. Efforts to revisit burden-sharing in the security field will also be among the key topics on the agenda, reflecting the alliance’s ongoing commitment to collective defense and shared responsibility.