According to informed sources, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) plans to invite representatives from four Gulf nations to attend a summit in Ankara, with the Iran conflict and fissures in transatlantic relations likely to be central topics of discussion.
These countries—Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE—are all members of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, a framework for cooperation between NATO and non-member states in the broader Middle East region.
The sources indicated that the foreign ministers of these nations are expected to be invited to the meeting scheduled for July 7-8 in the Turkish capital.
The summit convenes at a time of increasing strain in transatlantic relations following the outbreak of the Iran conflict. Previously, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized NATO allies for failing to assist in resuming shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and subsequently announced the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 troops from Germany.
One of the sources noted that this move is partly driven by NATO's plans to strengthen its so-called southern flank, particularly in the context of the Iran conflict.
The sources stated that the summit will feature a core session limited to the leaders of its 32 member states, similar to last year's format. Simultaneously, NATO is considering inviting leaders from other countries, such as those in the Indo-Pacific region or Ukraine, to participate in side events.
They also mentioned that, for the second consecutive year, the summit is planned to be held in a highly streamlined and condensed format to accommodate the U.S. President's schedule.
One source added that allies are also considering reducing the frequency of summits, moving away from the annual schedule that was standard before the Russia-Ukraine conflict, though no consensus has been reached on this matter yet.
The relevant preparatory arrangements are expected to be finalized next week when NATO foreign ministers meet in Sweden.
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