NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will arrive in Türkiye’s capital Ankara on Monday to hold meetings with Turkish officials, the military bloc said in a statement on Friday, amid rising tensions with Russia.
During his visit, Rutte will meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler.
Rutte’s itinerary also includes engagements with the representatives of Türkiye’s defense industry and a visit to the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) facilities.
He will also lay a wreath at Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Türkiye.
The visit will mark Rutte’s first official visit to Ankara since assuming his role as secretary-general.
Turkish officials have been warning both Russia and Western countries about the threat of a nuclear war.
On Tuesday, President Erdoğan called on NATO to carefully review and consider Russia’s statement on modifying its nuclear doctrine, as he said that Russia had to take steps to protect itself.
The Kremlin on Friday said Russia’s launch of an experimental ballistic missile against Ukraine should be understood as a warning to the West, as Rutte convened a key meeting to discuss the implications of the strike.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said six non-nuclear warheads hit the industrial city of Dnipro in eastern Ukraine on Thursday morning.
Putin threatened to use the new weapon, called Oreshnik, in more attacks. In a video address, he said the missile travels at hypersonic speed and cannot be intercepted.