2026 Istanbul NATO Parliamentary Summit

2026 Istanbul NATO Parliamentary Summit, hosted by the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM), Numan Kurtulmuş, will be held in Istanbul on 28–29 June 2026. This parliamentary summit is the third in a series initiated in 2024 by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) in cooperation with host countries, following summits held in the United States and Belgium. The summit aims to facilitate parliamentary-level consultations and exchange of views among allied nations ahead of the NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held in Ankara on 7–8 July 2026.

NATO Parliamentary Summit is a platform launched in 2024 by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in cooperation with host countries. The summit provides an opportunity for parliamentary-level consultation and exchange of views among allied nations ahead of the NATO Leaders Summit, aiming to strengthen parliamentary coordination and dialogue. The 2026 Istanbul Summit is the third in this series, following those held in the United States and Belgium.

The summit seeks to highlight the parliamentary dimension of the alliance and enable allied parliaments to express their views on the alliance’s priority issues. The summit will be conducted behind closed doors.

The summit will take place in Istanbul on 28–29 June 2026, prior to the NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government scheduled for 7–8 July 2026 in Ankara. It has been announced that the NATO Speakers of Parliament Summit Meeting will be held on Monday, 29 June 2026 at the Dolmabahçe Palace.

The summit is expected to be attended by 20 Speakers of Parliament, 3 Deputy Speakers, NATO PA President Marcos Perestrello, NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska, members of the NATO PA Bureau, and senior representatives from allied nations and international organizations.

A statement dated 21 June 2026 indicated that the Istanbul summit will be attended by the Speakers of Parliament and heads of delegations from 32 allied countries, along with NATO PA President Marcos Perestrello, members of the NATO PA Bureau, and other senior representatives.

It has been confirmed that Speakers of Parliament from Albania, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Croatia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, North Macedonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia will meet in Istanbul for the summit.

NATO has announced that NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska will attend the NATO Parliamentary Summit in Istanbul on Monday, 29 June 2026.

It has been announced that the NATO Speakers of Parliament Summit Meeting will be held on Monday, 29 June 2026 at the Dolmabahçe Palace. Speakers of Parliament and heads of delegations are expected to deliver remarks during the meeting.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to meet with participants and deliver an address at the official luncheon held in conjunction with the summit.

As part of the summit program, a field visit to the Baykar National Technology Center is planned for the afternoon of the same day. The visit will include briefings on the company’s activities, its work in defense technologies, and its innovative projects.

On 28 June 2026, TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş held a series of bilateral meetings with parliamentary speakers present in Istanbul at the TBMM Istanbul Working Office. Also present were Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Chairman of the Turkish Group of the NATO PA and AK Party Member of Parliament for Antalya.

^{TBMM Speaker Kurtulmuş meets NATO PA President Perestrello, 28 June 2026 – (Anadolu Agency)}

In his meeting with NATO PA President Marcos Perestrello, Kurtulmuş expressed his satisfaction at hosting the NATO Parliamentary Summit. He emphasized that the summit would provide an opportunity for Speakers of Parliament and parliamentarians from allied nations to consult on current and strategic issues, contributing to NATO’s spirit of unity and solidarity. Kurtulmuş highlighted the importance of the Istanbul Parliamentary Summit and the NATO Leaders Summit in Ankara on 7–8 July in shaping the future of the alliance amid the current critical global and regional context. He stressed the importance of continued parliamentary support in achieving common security and defense objectives, including commitments on defense spending, and underscored the need for NATO to build upon its current vision by initiating peace-promoting initiatives.

^{TBMM Speaker Kurtulmuş meets Speaker of the National Assembly of Bulgaria Dotsova, 28 June 2026 – (Anadolu Agency)}

In his meeting with Speaker of the National Assembly of Bulgaria Mihaela Dotsova, Kurtulmuş expressed his wishes for the success of the elections held in Bulgaria on 19 April and the new government. He welcomed the planned establishment of the Bulgaria-Turkey Friendship Group in the Bulgarian Parliament during the new legislative term, noting that this would enhance mutual cooperation and visits. Kurtulmuş emphasized Türkiye’s strong commitment to stability in the Balkans, highlighting the deep historical ties between Bulgaria and Türkiye, and noting that the Bulgarian Turkish community and the 20 Members of Parliament of Turkish origin in the Bulgarian Parliament serve as a strong bridge for bilateral relations. Recalling that this is the third NATO Parliamentary Summit to be held in Istanbul, Kurtulmuş expressed the desire for the NATO Parliamentary Summit to become a permanent fixture alongside the NATO Leaders Summit.

^{TBMM Speaker Kurtulmuş meets Speaker of the Latvian Parliament Mieriņa, 28 June 2026 – (Anadolu Agency)}

In his meeting with Speaker of the Latvian Parliament (Saeima) Daiga Mieriņa, Kurtulmuş affirmed Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening good relations and multilateral cooperation with its friend and ally Latvia. He emphasized the importance of enhancing coordination between delegations in parliamentary assemblies such as the NATO PA, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Kurtulmuş noted the significance of the assignment of Türkiye’s flagship vessel TCG Anadolu, as part of the Anadolu Turkish Naval Task Force, within the NATO Response Force and its participation in various exercises in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. He also affirmed Türkiye’s readiness to strengthen all forms of cooperation with Latvia in the defense industry.

In his meeting with Speaker of the Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu) Lauri Hussar, Kurtulmuş expressed his satisfaction at hosting the Estonian Parliament Speaker in Türkiye during the NATO Parliamentary Summit. He expressed his desire to further strengthen bilateral and inter-parliamentary relations between Türkiye and Estonia, emphasizing the importance of coordinated action within parliamentary assemblies such as the NATO PA, PACE, OSCE PA, and IPU. Kurtulmuş stated that Türkiye believes its defense industry capacity and expertise can make significant contributions to Estonia’s efforts in defense and security, and reaffirmed Türkiye’s active participation in NATO missions.

During the bilateral meetings, Kurtulmuş expressed his hope that both the NATO Parliamentary Summit in Istanbul and the NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government in Ankara on 7–8 July would provide a strong perspective on NATO’s future, and emphasized that NATO, as a security umbrella, must develop a proactive peace-building perspective to prevent conflicts.