Beyond the Ankara Summit: The Turkish Perspective on the European Pillar in NATO

Heightened threats to European security, particularly from Russia, and repeated US signalling of its intention to reduce its military footprint in Europe have intensified efforts to strengthen Europe’s role within NATO – most recently reaffirmed at the NATO summit in Ankara in early July. While there is broad consensus among European allies that they need to strengthen the so-called ‘European pillar’ within NATO, the concept still lacks clarity. One critical question is how Turkey, NATO’s second-largest military power, will be involved in these efforts.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation has recently commissioned a study by Dr Leonard Schütte, in which the author traces the evolution of the concept of the ‘European pillar’, delineates its possible meanings, and spells out what it would take to operationalise it. 

Against this backdrop, the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the German Marshall Fund warmly invite you to join a discussion on the role of Turkey and other non-EU allies in the context of a stronger ‘European pillar’ within NATO. 

Together, we will reflect on the outcomes of the NATO summit in Ankara, examine the concept of the ‘European pillar’ in NATO more closely, and discuss how Europe’s evolving security ambitions may reshape intra-alliance hierarchy, decision-making, and burden-sharing – and how Turkey views these developments.

For the discussion, we are pleased to welcome:

• Dr Leonard Schütte, International Security Program Fellow at the Belfer Center, Harvard University
• Barçın Yinanç, Journalist and Foreign Policy Analyst

Moderator: Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı: Managing Director, German Marshall Fund South & Wider Europe

Contact: Georg McCutcheon, EU Policy Advisor, E mccutcheon@boell.de