How Erdoğan Reinvented Himself Ahead of NATO Talks

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is again in the spotlight as President Donald Trump travels to Ankara for the NATO summit. The article says the meeting comes as Washington and Ankara seek to improve ties after years of friction over Turkey’s purchase of Russia’s S400 missile system and broader disputes in the alliance. The report describes Erdoğan as a highly pragmatic political figure who has changed his public identity over time, moving from Islamist roots to a proEuropean reformer, then to a nationalist strongman, and now to a key NATO dealmaker. Analysts quoted in the piece argue that his shifts reflect a focus on maintaining power rather than a fixed ideology. The article also notes criticism of Erdoğan’s domestic record, including pressure on opposition figures, journalists and activists, alongside Turkey’s growing strategic value because of its military size, control of key Black Sea straits and role in regional security. It concludes that Erdoğan’s influence in NATO now makes him difficult for Western leaders to ignore.