Brussels summit

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is engaging in intensive bilateral talks during his visit to the United States for a three-day NATO summit.

The gathering kicked off with a ceremony commemorating the alliance's 75th anniversary.

Following the opening event, Erdoğan met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at his hotel.

Leaders from 32 countries gathered in Washington for the 75th anniversary NATO summit, with all eyes on President Biden. With questions swirling about his mental and physical fitness to run for re-election, Biden will now be tested on a global level.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that three political "families" have agreed to propose Ursula von der Leyen for President of the European Commission, António Costa for President of the European Council, and Kaja Kallas for the position of High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, upon his arrival at the European Council leaders summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Türkiye has congratulated Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for his appointment as the new NATO Secretary General, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on June 26.

"We congratulate Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who was announced as the new NATO Secretary General with the consent of all allies," read the statement.

Hungary has dropped its opposition to Mark Rutte's candidacy for NATO secretary general after a meeting between Rutte and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during the EU leaders' council in Brussels, as reported by media outlets in the Netherlands, Agence France-Presse, and the Financial Times.

From right, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden, Portugal's Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban attend a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Monday, June 17, 2024.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called for the defense of freedom and democracy on the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.

"On the 80th anniversary of D-Day, we pay tribute to the heroes who fought against the forces of fascism in the greatest naval, air and land operation in history," he said, in a post on X.

Bulgaria and 9 other ЕU countries are not participating in the joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine, President Rumen Radev said in Brussels ahead of the European Council summit. 17 countries agreed to joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine. "Bulgaria is committed to producing projectiles for the needs of our partners, if they request it, not for Ukraine", President Radev added. 

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke yesterday with the Bucharest Nine (B9) - NATO Allies group part of the eastern flank, to underscore the United States' commitment to Transatlantic security and the U.S.'s sacred commitment to NATO's Article 5.

The EUMed 9 Summit will be held on Friday in Athens, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Culture Centre (SNFCC).