Seyit Kurt
03 July 2026•Update: 03 July 2026
- Civilian, military aircraft carrying foreign heads of state, official delegations to be exempt from temporary flight restrictions at Esenboga Airport
Türkiye has stepped up security and transport measures in the capital Ankara ahead of next week’s NATO leaders’ summit, with temporary air traffic restrictions at Esenboga Airport and thousands of security personnel assigned across the city.
The 36th NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government will be held in Ankara on July 7-8, with 52 leaders from 32 allied countries and nine invited countries expected to attend.
Speaking at a meeting in Ankara, Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said preparations for an event of this scale required “the highest level of planning and coordination” not only diplomatically but also in terms of security.
“We aim to complete the NATO Leaders’ Summit safely and without incident as a result of the measures we have taken,” he said, according to an Interior Ministry statement issued Thursday.
Ciftci said security and traffic measures would be in place at the Presidential Complex, ATO Congresium, hotels where delegations will stay, airports, transportation routes between key locations, and entry and exit points to Ankara.
“The sole purpose of the security and traffic measures being implemented is to ensure the safety of our citizens, guest delegations and security personnel, and to ensure that the summit is held in an orderly and trouble-free manner,” he said.
He stressed that none of the measures were arbitrary or intended to disrupt daily life, adding that they were planned in line with international security standards, risk assessments and coordination among relevant institutions.
Ciftci said coordination centers had been established within the Ankara Governor’s Office and the Interior Ministry to closely monitor the summit.
More than 56,000 personnel to be deployed
A total of 56,288 personnel will be deployed during the summit, including 48,841 police officers and 7,447 gendarmerie personnel, as well as 4,405 units, he said.
He added that 3,926 personnel would be assigned along the Esenboga Airport-Presidential Complex route, while 1,742 personnel would be deployed on routes between Murted, Ankara Airport and the Presidential Complex.
Personnel, vehicles, equipment and trained dogs will be on duty around the clock at airports, summit venues, routes and hotels against possible security risks, Ciftci said.
Cybersecurity measures have also been increased, with 639 additional personnel assigned to carry out 24/7 “virtual patrols” online to combat crime and criminal activity, he added.
“Our measures are not limited to Ankara,” Ciftci said, noting that plans were also in place in neighboring provinces and what he called “third-ring” provinces around the capital.
The minister said the heightened security procedures were in line with practices in previous NATO meetings hosted by other allied countries.
“We are not the only ones applying these high security procedures. All allied countries that hosted previous summits had similarly implemented security measures at the highest level,” he said.
Temporary air traffic restrictions at Esenboga Airport
Separately, Türkiye’s State Airports Authority said temporary air traffic restrictions would be in place at Ankara Esenboga Airport under a NOTAM issued for the summit.
The restrictions will be in effect on July 7 from 10 am to 6 pm local time and on July 8 from 2 pm to 9 pm.
Civilian and military aircraft carrying foreign heads of state and official delegations will be exempt from the restrictions, the authority said.
Passengers were advised to closely follow flight updates.
Ciftci also listed a number of roads around the Presidential Complex, ATO Congresium and delegation hotels that will be closed to traffic during the summit, and added that there would be no restrictions on pedestrian crossings.
