Inside Kaja Kallas's Ankara Visit: EU-Türkiye Agenda and the NATO Summit Connection

Visa liberalization

• Visa liberalization for Turkish citizens was explicitly on the agenda, alongside EU membership process and Customs Union modernization .

Migration

• Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, participated specifically to address migration cooperation .
• Kallas described Türkiye as an "indispensable partner" on migration, defence, and regional stability .

Regional stability and security

• Talks covered regional security challenges, including the war in Ukraine and broader geopolitical dynamics .
• The visit was timed to coordinate positions ahead of the NATO summit, where Ukraine, the alliance's southern flank, and defence spending were expected to dominate .

The two-state solution in the Middle East

• In an Anadolu interview on the eve of her visit, Kallas stated that Israeli settlement activities are making a two-state solution increasingly difficult .
• She reiterated that the two-state solution "remains the only viable way to bring lasting peace and stability to the Middle East" .
• She affirmed strong EU support for Palestinians and described Türkiye as a key regional partner on this issue .

Connection to the NATO Summit (July 7–8, 2026)

The visit was directly linked to the NATO Summit in Ankara. Key connections include:

• Timing: The EU delegation arrived just over a week before the summit, which will gather 32 NATO leaders at the Beştepe Presidential Compound .
• Coordination: Kallas said the visit aimed to align EU and Turkish positions on common security challenges ahead of the summit .
• Türkiye's role: Kallas called the NATO summit in Türkiye "truly historic" — it is only the second NATO summit hosted by Türkiye (after Istanbul in 2004) .
• Security agenda: The summit is expected to address allied unity, defence spending, the war in Ukraine, and the alliance's southern flank, all of which featured in the EU-Türkiye talks .
• Broader context: Turkish President Erdoğan indicated he would likely hold bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump on the summit sidelines, underscoring Ankara's central geopolitical role .