Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long called for revitalizing Türkiye's EU accession process and emphasized its role in European security and trade. On July 8, 2026, during a meeting with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Erdogan urged the activation of EU membership mechanisms and launch of necessary meetings, and called for inclusion in planned EU trade and investment regulations, highlighting Türkiye's role as a major production hub in Europe through its Customs Union membership. He also emphasized Türkiye's contributions to European security and discussed diplomatic efforts regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, the US-Iran war, and Israeli attacks in Gaza and Lebanon.

Slovenia announced a $50 million contribution to NATO's Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative to support US-made weapons deliveries to Ukraine, and will co-finance three civil protection shelters. The pledge was announced by Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer after the NATO Summit in Ankara. Separately, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced Turkey's participation in the PURL fund during the same summit, committing to contribute alongside continued bilateral aid. The PURL program now includes 26 nations pledging over $4 billion, with Italy, France, Czechia, Hungary, and Slovakia still non-contributors. The announcements are part of a larger NATO €70 billion military assistance package for Ukraine.