Selçuk Özdağ’s Sharp Criticism of the 2026 NATO Summit: “Zero Achievement for Gaza and Iran”

The 2026 NATO Summit, held on July 7 and 8 in Ankara, has faced sharp reactions from the Turkish opposition. Selçuk Özdağ, Deputy Chairman of the “Yeni Yol” parliamentary group, explicitly criticized the summit's final declaration, stating it lacked the necessary substance to address the region's vital challenges [1].

Diplomacy Failure in the Heart of Ankara The 2026 NATO Summit, held at the Turkish Presidential Complex (Külliye), was Turkey's second major hosting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders since 2004 [2]. Despite extensive promotion by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government regarding Turkey's central role in guiding NATO policies, Selçuk Özdağ believes the meeting brought no strategic achievements for Ankara. Referring to the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump at the summit, he noted that Trump’s diplomatic pleasantries and empty praise should not be viewed as success [1][3]. Özdağ asked: “Beyond Trump’s hollow compliments, what tangible concessions has Turkey actually gained from this summit?”

Gaza and Iran: The Great Absentees in the NATO Declaration A primary focus of Özdağ’s criticism was NATO’s indifference to the humanitarian disasters in the Gaza Strip and the situation of the Iranian people. Writing on his X social media account, he stated that the final declaration showed NATO remains blind to the bitter realities of the Middle East [1]. Özdağ emphasized that no concrete plan or action was presented to stop the attacks in Gaza or to improve the living conditions and rights of the people in Iran. He had previously warned that aggressive policies toward Iran would only turn the region into a “pit of fire” and that NATO should focus on regional stability rather than just weaponry [4].

Turkey’s Position and NATO Priorities While NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte described the summit as a step toward strengthening collective defense and increasing member military budgets, internal critics in Turkey believe national priorities have been overshadowed by Washington’s agendas [3][2]. Özdağ criticized the excessive focus on defense industries and the $50 billion arms deals announced on the sidelines of the summit, stating that true security cannot be achieved by ignoring humanitarian crises in Turkey's neighborhood [1][3]. He called on the government to answer public demands regarding the Palestinian issue and sustainable security on the eastern borders instead of taking pride in ceremonial hosting.