Key facts
- NATO leaders met in Ankara on July 7-8 to discuss defense cooperation and Ukraine support.
- US President Donald Trump expressed skepticism about NATO's reciprocity and defense spending.
- Allies aim to spend 5% of GDP on defense by 2035, but concerns exist about deferring investments.
- US troop presence in Europe is under review, with potential redeployment to Asia.
- A pledge of 70 billion euros for Ukraine for 2026 and the following year is included in the summit declaration.
NATO leaders convened in Ankara for their annual summit on July 7-8, with discussions dominated by defense spending and the ongoing support for Ukraine, all under the shadow of US disengagement concerns. US President Donald Trump was expected to voice criticism regarding European allies' defense contributions, highlighting the disparity in spending compared to the United States.
Despite Trump's skepticism, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte pointed to increasing defense investments by European allies, many of which involve purchasing American equipment. There is optimism that the constructive atmosphere from the recent G7 summit would carry over, potentially aided by the personal rapport between Trump, Rutte, and Turkish President Erdogan. The summit's draft declaration aims to outline a 'credible path' for allies to meet the agreed-upon 5% of GDP defense spending target by 2035, though fears persist about countries deferring major investments.
Discussions also touched upon the US military posture in Europe, with a review of troop and asset redeployments potentially shifting focus to Asia. European allies have reportedly stepped up to fill capability gaps left by recent US reductions. The summit declaration reaffirms NATO's mutual defense clause, Article 5. A defense industrial forum preceding the summit was expected to yield multilateral cooperation deals, including a 'global defense bank' and potential Ukrainian involvement in missile production.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's participation included bilateral meetings, notably with Trump, amidst ongoing Russian attacks on Kyiv. While US-led peace talks remain stalled, there is a sense of renewed optimism regarding Ukraine's battlefield position and continued US support. The summit declaration includes a pledge of 70 billion euros for Ukraine for 2026 and the subsequent year.