The rejected kiss, Erdoğan’s trick and an unexpected guest: How did the NATO summit go?

Trump came to Türkiye with his own toilet. What is forcing the President to hide even his waste? What were the Americans afraid of?

French President Emmanuel Macron, the leader of a country often described as romantic, tried to kiss the hand of Türkiye’s First Lady Emine Erdoğan. But…

Italy’s “Iron Lady,” Giorgia Meloni, made a secret request to summit host Erdoğan regarding Trump. Since we are talking about it, the secret is clearly already out. So what did she ask for?

An unexpected twist: a commander who had only recently been on the international wanted list also came to Ankara. What did Syria’s new leader Ahmad al-Sharaa agree on behind closed doors with Western intelligence chiefs and Erdoğan?

At the official dinner for NATO leaders, Erdoğan sent European countries a serious message through music. Did this psychological pressure have an effect?

Summits often seem to consist of dry official statements, signed agreements and dull final declarations. However, the true nature of international relations often appears on red carpets, in glances exchanged over dinner and in protocol mistakes.

The NATO summit held in Ankara became not only a venue for discussing defense strategies, but also a stage for some of the most sensational behind-the-scenes events rich in geopolitical symbolism. The symbolic boundaries of Western diplomacy and Türkiye’s demonstration of its historical heritage created a distinctive dramatic scene at the summit.

One of the most discussed moments of the summit, and one that circulated widely online, was undoubtedly the situation between French President Emmanuel Macron and Türkiye’s First Lady Emine Erdoğan. Macron attempted to kiss the hand of the Turkish First Lady as a sign of Western-style closeness and respect. However, Emine Erdoğan, with a quick and composed movement, held her hand firmly and did not allow it to reach Macron’s lips.

The incident sparked a battle of interpretations among people with different worldviews.

Turkish media praised it as Emine Erdoğan’s loyalty to Islamic and national values and as a kind of nobility standing above Western norms. French and Western media, meanwhile, described the incident as Macron’s “unsuccessful attempt” that could be seen as a diplomatic cultural mistake.

Another group argued that in Türkiye, the hands of elderly and respected people are kissed and touched to the forehead, while others reminded that hand-kissing is one of the signs of true gentlemanly conduct in Europe. Some international analysts saw an entirely different picture: they interpreted this episode as a symbolic expression of the hidden political coldness and geopolitical rivalry that has accumulated for years between France and Türkiye. However, the exact reason cannot yet be stated with certainty. Only Macron and Mrs. Emine know it.

While global politicians were watching the NATO summit in Ankara, U.S. President Donald Trump did not simply set foot on Turkish soil. The U.S. leader’s security and personal items became a focus of media attention. The head of the White House arrived in the Turkish capital accompanied by a massive entourage of nearly 1,000 people — an army of Secret Service agents, intelligence officers, military personnel and technicians. But more on them later.

What drew global media attention was that Trump brought his own toilet to Ankara. Yes, you read that correctly. The most unexpected and sensational detail on the summit agenda was the personal toilet specially brought to Ankara for Trump.

In fact, this is not necessarily something that should cause a major sensation. It is neither simple fussiness nor extravagance, but a consequence of high-level espionage warfare. Foreign intelligence services may try to obtain highly classified information about the U.S. President’s health, hidden illnesses and medical condition through biological samples. To prevent Trump’s DNA and health secrets from falling into foreign hands, U.S. agents even tried to keep his toilet under Washington’s control.

Yes, Trump’s protection was given extraordinary importance this time.

Another detail is that traveling with a personal toilet has also been observed in the practice of other state leaders — for example, Putin. In other words, such a measure has already become part of security precautions.

Among the personal service vehicles brought for the White House leader’s movement in Türkiye was The Beast, known as one of the most protected limousines in the world. Weighing around 9-10 tons, this armored vehicle is equipped with protection systems against powerful explosions, missile attacks and various threats. Its armored doors are around 20 centimeters thick and provide protection comparable to aircraft doors. Inside this vehicle, Trump feels as though he is sitting in a nuclear bunker.

We should also mention that Trump arrived in Ankara on a huge Boeing aircraft gifted by Qatar and valued at $500 million. This aircraft used by the President is not an ordinary plane, but a “flying headquarters” equipped with a modern communications center, advanced defense systems and special equipment. Inside, there is a private bedroom for the President, luxury rooms for receiving guests, meeting halls and special communication systems that allow state affairs to be conducted even during a flight if necessary.

This “flying palace” became the most imposing symbol at Ankara airport. Every detail seemed to show that Trump had come to Türkiye not only to conduct politics, but also to demonstrate the absolute imperial power of the United States.

Another unforgettable scene took place at the welcoming ceremony for Donald Trump at the Beştepe Presidential Complex. Under the strict and grand protocol requirements, the American leader appeared slightly confused in front of the cameras about where to stand. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan then took control of the situation, grabbed Trump by the wrist and showed him the correct position, guiding him into place.

This episode was analyzed in parallel with Trump’s earlier remark before the summit: “I came here not for NATO, but because of my personal respect for Erdoğan.” Erdoğan physically directing the U.S. leader visually showed the whole world that Türkiye was not merely a participant in this summit, but the host managing the process. While European leaders were worried about Washington’s future unpredictability, Ankara strengthened its position as the only power capable of speaking with the United States directly and personally.

The Ottoman spirit in Ankara

The summit’s biggest geopolitical bombshell undoubtedly exploded during the official dinner. The historical military band of the Turkish Armed Forces, Mehter, began performing traditional Ottoman military marches in front of NATO leaders. Donald Trump gave the performance a thumbs-up, while European leaders appeared serious and somewhat surprised.

Ottoman military music was historically a tool used to exert psychological pressure on the enemy and announce victory. It was to the sound of these melodies that Turkish troops once reached the gates of Vienna and the Balkans — lands that today belong to NATO member states, the territory of Europe.

Playing this music for NATO leaders carried a very deep and sharp symbolic meaning. First, it was a historical warning: Türkiye reminded its allies that it is not merely a technical partner, but a state with centuries of imperial heritage and military power. Second, it emphasized who needs whom.

Today, Europe needs Türkiye, NATO’s largest army on the continent, to ensure its security against threats coming from Russia. Through the Mehter march, Türkiye seemed to send a hidden message: “You needed us yesterday, and today you still need us for your security.” This display gave Erdoğan an opportunity to further strengthen his domestic image as an independent and great leader who does not bow before the West.

The behind-the-scenes events of the NATO summit in Ankara were enriched by a true international political drama. This time, the main characters were Italy’s “Iron Lady” Giorgia Meloni and U.S. leader Donald Trump. Yes, Trump again.

The point is that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made an absolutely secret and urgent request to summit host Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. As you understand, it is no longer secret.

During the official group photo ceremony at the 36th NATO leaders’ summit, Meloni absolutely did not want to stand side by side with Donald Trump in the same frame and asked Erdoğan to ensure this.

Behind this request was a personal conflict between the two leaders. Earlier, during the G7 summit in France, Trump had boasted that Meloni had “begged him to take a photo.” The Italian Prime Minister immediately denied this and called the American leader’s words “pure fabrication and nonsense.” In short, the resentment from that incident has not disappeared.

So did Erdoğan take the Italian Prime Minister’s diplomatic concerns into account? The camera lens gave a clear answer. In the group photo, Meloni can be seen standing as far away from Trump as possible — next to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

From military uniform to formal suit

Amid verbal battles and hidden protocol wars at the NATO summit, another unexpected and truly sensational figure arrived at Ankara airport. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who took control of Syria after a coup and has been at the center of global media attention, came to Türkiye.

Al-Sharaa, who had only recently been on an international wanted list and is now the de facto leader of Syria, was received on the sidelines of the summit. His meetings brought geopolitical tensions in Ankara to their highest point.

U.S. leader Donald Trump, as usual, showed pragmatism. He reacted to al-Sharaa’s arrival without excessive emotion, instead viewing it with a kind of interest, as if recognizing the new reality in the region. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, through this move, showed the world that the fate of the Middle East is being decided precisely in Ankara.

Receiving Syria’s leader on the eve of such a major platform as the NATO summit demonstrated Türkiye’s absolute dominance in the region.

Al-Sharaa used the summit framework to present his new, civilized image to the Western world. He moved from military uniform to diplomatic suit. In the eyes of the international media, he tried to present himself not as the commander of a radical system, but as an official and legitimate statesman capable of ensuring stability in the region and respecting secular laws.

Al-Sharaa’s main mission in Ankara was to meet the summit host. During the highly confidential meeting with Erdoğan, two main issues were discussed. The first was the issue of refugees. The parties exchanged views on a plan for the safe and gradual return of millions of Syrian refugees in Türkiye to their homeland. The second issue concerned security, with a detailed discussion of military coordination between Ankara and Damascus against Kurdish armed formations in northern Syria. Naturally, the outcome and conclusions remained behind closed doors.

Not only the leaders of countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and France attended the summit, but also their intelligence chiefs. Ahmad al-Sharaa and his team held informal meetings with representatives of these services. The discussions mainly focused on easing international sanctions imposed on Syria and guarantees from the new Damascus government in the fight against international terrorism.

In short, although al-Sharaa did not sit at the NATO table in Ankara, he managed to discuss his issues with almost everyone around that table.

We have described as much of the behind-the-scenes picture of the Ankara NATO summit as we were able to see. Perhaps even larger events were resolved away from public view and beyond the reach of cameras. We do not know. But one thing is clear: today’s world politics is not measured only by numbers on paper.

The events that took place were not mere coincidences. Every detail, even the Ottoman military march evoking the gates of Vienna, was part of a carefully planned symbolic strategy. Through this summit, Türkiye played the game on its own field and by its own rules, once again reminding its Western allies who they must reckon with.