Ankara, April 22 (QNA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed on Wednesday with Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Mark Rutte, preparations for the alliance's summit, items on its agenda and regional and international issues.

During the meeting in the capital, Ankara, Erdogan expressed expectations that decisions would be taken at the upcoming summit to strengthen solidarity among allies and bolster NATO's readiness to confront crises.

The Turkish president said his country had stood by peace and diplomacy since the start of attacks on Iran. He added that Ankara was making intensive efforts to ensure a peaceful end to the Russia-Ukraine war, seeking to revive negotiations and launch talks at the leaders' level.

He also said that excluding European allies that are not members of the European Union from the bloc's defense initiatives would not serve the intended goal.

Turkiye is set to host a NATO leaders' summit in Ankara on July 7 and 8. (QNA)