Macron Meets Erdoğan in Ankara for 36th NATO Summit

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Ankara on July 8, 2026, to attend the 36th NATO Summit. Before the official proceedings at the Presidential Complex, Macron jogged through the Çankaya district and Seğmenler Park. During the summit, he held a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, where the two leaders discussed the war in Ukraine, developments in Iran, and the goal of increasing bilateral trade targets. Erdoğan also used the meeting to offer condolences regarding a bomb attack that occurred near Macron's hotel during a previous visit to Damascus.

The diplomatic visit was marked by a publicized encounter between Macron and First Lady Emine Erdoğan. While attempting to kiss her hand as a sign of respect, Emine Erdoğan held Macron's wrist to prevent the gesture. The incident has been framed by media reports as part of a pattern of social awkwardness for the French leader, drawing comparisons to previous diplomatic frictions with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and an overly warm greeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.