Ankara: Trkiye's involvement in this week's landmark NATO summit will extend beyond merely serving as the host nation, according to a senior Turkish lawmaker. The country is set to maintain its crucial mediation role, as highlighted by Mevlut Cavusoglu, chair of the Turkish Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, during a panel on Tuesday in Ankara.

According to Anadolu Agency, Cavusoglu made these remarks at a panel titled "Toward the Summit," part of the Allies in Ankara program. The event was organized in cooperation with Trkiye's Communications Directorate, the Munich Security Conference, and the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), an Ankara-based think tank. Cavusoglu emphasized Trkiye's expectation for greater solidarity among allies and the invocation of Articles 4 and 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, NATO's charter, when necessary.

Cavusoglu, who previously served as Turkish foreign minister, noted that political unity and cohesion would be prioritized during the two-day summit. Additionally, discussions will focus on the Russia-Ukraine war, enhancing defense industry cooperation, and burden-sharing among member nations.

The panel also featured British MP Stuart Anderson, US Senator Mike Rounds, Jeanne Shaheen-co-chair of the US Senate NATO Observer Group and a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee-and Slovak MP Tomas Valasek. Shaheen highlighted the peak in American support for NATO, pointing out that the 32 allies' defense spending has reached 2% of gross domestic product (GDP), with a target of 5%.

Shaheen affirmed NATO's continued relevance and strength, emphasizing the alliance's role in ensuring the security of Europe, the US, and other parts of the world. Rounds mentioned US President Donald Trump's emphasis on boosting NATO's defense capacity, noting the presence of future threats of war.

Valasek expressed criticism of the process towards the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague, where allies committed to investing 5% of GDP annually in defense by 2035. Anderson referred to the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a learning experience for NATO allies, suggesting that it would lead to a substantial increase in defense spending.