Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit the US this week to attend a three-day NATO summit starting Tuesday in Washington, DC.
“At the summit, which will coincide with NATO’s 75th anniversary, views will be exchanged on the organization’s endeavors regarding deterrence and defense in the face of challenges and risks to the Alliance’s geography, as well as the situation in Ukraine and assistance for that country,” Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said in a statement.
Terrorism, one of the main threats to the alliance, will also be discussed, it added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Union representatives, and leaders of NATO’s partners in the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand, will also attend relevant sessions.
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President Erdogan is expected to hold bilateral meetings with some participating heads of state and government on the margins of the summit, reportedly including US President Joe Biden.
China on Monday urged NATO to avoid “causing chaos” in the Asia-Pacific region as the military bloc was set to convene in the US, state media reported.
“NATO should adhere to its positioning as a regional defensive organization, stop creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, stop promoting Cold War mentality and bloc confrontations,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.
Lin charged NATO of causing chaos in Europe, and urged the military bloc to avoid repeating such moves in the region.
Beijing’s remarks came as the leaders of Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand are among the Asia-Pacific guests attending the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, with Australia represented by its defense minister.
The summit, scheduled for July 9-11, will mark the 75th anniversary of the military alliance.