While football captivated audiences worldwide, serious geopolitics unfolded in Ankara, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted NATO heads of state and government for the alliance’s summit.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in the Turkish capital shortly before 8pm local time, accompanied by his wife Mareva Mitsotaki and a senior diplomatic team. Erdoğan personally welcomed Mitsotakis at the White Palace — the Turkish presidential residence — where the two leaders exchanged the customary handshake and posed for cameras in what was described as a notably warm atmosphere.
Erdoğan and his wife hosted a formal dinner for NATO leaders ahead of the main summit proceedings. The gathering comes at a significant moment for Greece, which was announced as a founding member of the new World Bank for Defense and Security. According to Greek government sources, “participation means the country shapes the rules, rather than just following them” — a signal that Athens views the new institution as a vehicle for amplifying its strategic influence within the alliance.
