EU countries campaign to block Turkey hosting NATO summit

A number of European countries are leading a campaign to block Turkey from hosting the NATO summit in 2018.

The alliance meets in June to finalise the location of next year’s summit but Germany, France, the Netherlands and Denmark are said to be “vehemently” opposed to the summit being held in Istanbul.

German newspaper Die Welt reported yesterday that 18 EU countries along with Canada will fight for Belgium to host the 2018 NATO summit instead of Turkey.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan invited the leaders of NATO member countries to Istanbul for the 2018 summit during their meeting in Warsaw in July 2016. The leaders, reported Politico, had informally agreed at the time.

But a high-ranking NATO diplomat told Die Welt: “We do not want to enhance Turkey’s international credentials and [we want to] avoid the impression that NATO supports the Turkish government’s internal policy.”

NATO spokesperson Piers Cazelet confirmed that Turkey made an offer to host the summit last week, but said that “no decision has been made yet on the venue or timing of the 2018 NATO summit”.

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While Brussels is also being considered, “these options are not mutually exclusive,” Cazelet added. “Allies will take a decision on the time and location of the next summit in due course.”

Tension between Turkey and EU states flared earlier this year when some European countries prevented Turkish officials from campaigning in their country. The decision prompted a harsh response from President Erdoğan who accused one of the countries, the Netherlands, of showing “Nazi” tendencies.

He said at the time: “Nazism is still widespread in the West. I thought Nazism was dead but I was wrong. The West has shown its true face.”