UK Premier Starmer arrives in Ankara for NATO summit

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in the Turkish capital Ankara on Tuesday to attend the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit.

Starmer's aircraft landed at Ankara Esenboga Airport, where he was welcomed by Turkish Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu and other officials.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper accompanied Starmer on the visit.

The NATO heads of state and government are meeting in Türkiye’s capital Ankara on July 7-8 for the alliance's 2026 summit. The two-day meeting will focus on implementing defense spending commitments agreed at the 2025 summit, sustaining military support for Ukraine and expanding defense industrial production.

The summit is taking place amid renewed debate over transatlantic burden-sharing and continued uncertainty over the Russia-Ukraine war.