Ankara: Security experts, diplomats, and former officials gathered in Ankara for the opening session of the NATO Summit Dialogues, an event organized prior to the NATO leaders' summit to deliberate on the alliance's future security agenda. Hosted by the Turkish Industry and Business Association, the program was jointly organized by the Turkish Atlantic Council and the Hariciye Foreign Policy and Security Research Center. According to Anadolu Agency, opening remarks were delivered by Trkiye's former permanent representative to NATO and ATA Trkiye President Mehmet Fatih Ceylan, ATA President Theodossios Georgiou, and ATA Trkiye Secretary General Emir Abbas Grbz. Ceylan emphasized the dialogues as a crucial platform for assessing the alliance's future, stressing the importance of strengthening Europe's defense industry and enhancing cooperation among allies. Georgiou highlighted that trust among allies and confidence in democratic institutions are equally strategic as military capabilities. He noted that securi ty today extends beyond governments to include energy, the economy, critical infrastructure, technology, and the protection of democratic life. Grbz noted the world is entering a period marked by competition over critical resources and growing connectivity challenges, while advancements in artificial intelligence and technology continue to present new opportunities. He emphasized that today's international environment is increasingly shaped by cooperation around shared values rather than fragile alliances. Ahead of panel discussions and roundtable meetings, Tacan Ildem, president of the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, and Ambassador Mehmet Burcin Gonenli also addressed participants. Ildem underscored the alliance's consistent unity and solidarity despite differences among NATO allies. He mentioned that the leaders' family photo at the 36th NATO Summit in Ankara would symbolize that unity and affirm allies' commitment to Article 5 collective defense. Gonenli highlighted that hosting the sum mit marks the second time Trkiye has hosted a NATO leaders' meeting since joining the alliance in 1952. He described it as a reflection of the country's diplomatic influence and credibility among allies. He said one of the summit's key outcomes would be the unveiling of the NATO 3.0 vision, which would see the alliance's center of gravity gradually shift toward Europe. He also highlighted the significance of the Defense Industry Forum, the largest industrial event in the alliance's history. The opening session was followed by panel discussions and roundtable meetings focusing on NATO's future security priorities. The panel titled "Stability on NATO's Southern Flank: Security and Cooperation in the Mediterranean," organized by the Turkish Atlantic Council and the Center for Foreign Policy and Security Studies, addressed the significance of the Mediterranean and challenges on NATO's southern flank. Former ATA President Fabrizio W. Luccioli noted that military superiority remains crucial but no longer guarante es strategic success, as undersea cables, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence have become part of geopolitical competition. Retired Turkish Ambassador Omer Onhon highlighted NATO's growing awareness of challenges on its southern flank, citing terrorism, irregular migration, climate change, and water-sharing disputes as key challenges in the region. Onhon also addressed recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran and commented on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks opposing arms sales to Trkiye, describing them as "absurd." Security and defense analyst Burak Yildirim emphasized the need for NATO to have mechanisms to resolve disputes among allies and argued that security challenges on NATO's southern flank do not stem solely from relations among alliance members, describing Israel as "the main problem" in the region.