German chancellor Merz arrives in Ankara for NATO summit

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Tuesday to attend the 36th NATO Summit Heads of State and Government Summit.

His plane landed at Ankara Airport.

Türkiye's Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas and other officials welcomed Merz.

The summit in Ankara is bringing together leaders of the 32-member alliance as well as key partners to discuss Europe’s defense capacity, the alliance’s defense spending targets, military modernization and continued support for Ukraine.

The Ankara meeting marks the second NATO summit hosted by Türkiye, following the 2004 Istanbul summit. The gathering also provides a platform for bilateral meetings between Türkiye and allied countries on political, security and economic cooperation.