ANKARA PREPARES FOR TRUMP'S ARRIVAL

ANKARA, MAY 30 /SRNA/ – Turkey is preparing to host US President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara this July, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced.

"Preparations are underway for the arrival of President Trump," Fidan told the Japanese weekly magazine Nikkei.

Fidan added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held several conversations with the US President over the past month.

"Turkey also wishes to host the leaders and defense ministers of NATO's allied partner countries in the Indo-Pacific—specifically Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand—should all allies agree," Fidan stated.

He noted that Ankara is currently in talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to adjust the official program.

The NATO summit is scheduled to take place on July 7 and 8.

An unnamed Turkish diplomatic source told RIA Novosti that Turkey is counting on Trump's presence at the summit, but added that there is no concrete information regarding his participation yet.