Key facts
- President Donald Trump stated Greenland should be controlled by the US, not Denmark.
- NATO leaders convened in Ankara, Turkey, for their annual summit on July 7-8.
- The summit focused on defense spending, with allies aiming for a 5% of GDP target by 2035.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet with Trump on the summit's sidelines.
- Discussions also touched on the potential redeployment of US troops from Europe.
- Defense-related agreements worth billions are expected to be announced.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Greenland should be controlled by the United States, not Denmark, as NATO leaders convened in Ankara, Turkey, for their annual summit. The summit, held July 7-8, was largely dominated by discussions on defense spending, with allies aiming to reach a collective target of 5% of GDP by 2035. Trump, who has been critical of NATO's reciprocal nature and defense contributions from European allies, was expected to voice his concerns. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was also in attendance and was scheduled to meet with Trump on the sidelines to discuss ending Russia's war against Ukraine. Discussions also touched upon the potential redeployment of US troops from Europe, and defense-related agreements worth billions of dollars were anticipated to be announced. Trump had recently held a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, offering to help end the war.