Turkey Hosts NATO Summit, Leaders Welcomed by Historic Mehter Band

At the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan greeted the heads of the alliance, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who arrived from the airport accompanied by mounted troops. The visiting leaders were received in the presidential palace courtyard by the Mehter band, the world’s oldest military ensemble. Erdoğan said the leaders praised the performance, quoting them as saying the display was “magnificent.”

Bulgarian writer Sophia Proneikos posted on social media that the Mehter was “not just music but a historic weapon and language,” a comment that attracted thousands of reactions before she removed the post, allegedly under local pressure. Turkish journalist Mehmet Çek also highlighted the deletion, questioning the reasons behind it.

The ceremony highlighted Turkey’s use of Ottoman heritage in modern diplomatic settings during the summit.