NATO’s annual Nuclear Policy Symposium has ended in Istanbul after bringing together 150 experts from across the Alliance to discuss nuclear policy and deterrence ahead of the Ankara Summit.
The meeting concluded on Wednesday, 22 April 2026, and has been held every year since 1992, the NATO press service noted in a release.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte addressed the symposium virtually and thanked Turkey for hosting.
He stated NATO must ensure its nuclear deterrence — the use of nuclear forces to discourage attacks — remains “credible, safe, secure and effective.”
Talks covered arms control and non-proliferation
Rutte also said Allies approaching the Ankara Summit would face “crucial decisions”, including how NATO’s nuclear posture — how it organises and presents its nuclear forces — may need to adapt to what he called a “deteriorating security environment.”
Participants discussed geopolitical shifts and the nuclear landscape, as well as implications for arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, NATO said.
