Key facts
- US President Donald Trump concluded a NATO summit in Ankara, praising alliance unity and defense spending increases.
- Earlier in the summit, Trump had criticized allies for their response to his Iran campaign and expressed interest in Greenland.
- European leaders presented increased defense budgets and commitments to taking more responsibility for security.
- Trump assured leaders of his desire for the U.S. to remain in NATO, and the final declaration reaffirmed Article 5.
- The summit included a pledge to provide Ukraine with a license to produce Patriot air-defense missiles.
- Europe and Canada committed to providing €70 billion annually in military support to Ukraine for 2026 and 2027.
- Trump declared a ceasefire with Iran all but over after US forces struck Iranian targets, citing violations.
- Trump made several verbal misnomers during press conferences, including misidentifying Japan and referring to President Putin.
US President Donald Trump concluded a NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday, offering an unexpected warm embrace to allies after earlier sharp criticism regarding their support for his campaign against Iran and his interest in Greenland. Trump described the summit as 'tremendously successful,' noting 'a lot of love' and 'a lot of unity.' This marked a significant shift from his earlier remarks, which had caused friction. He also praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and expressed optimism about a potential deal to end the war with Russia. The summit saw European leaders present increased defense budgets and commitments to taking more responsibility for security, with Trump assuring them of his desire for the U.S. to remain in NATO. The final declaration reaffirmed Article 5, and a pledge was made to provide Ukraine with a license to produce Patriot air-defense missiles, with Europe and Canada committing €70 billion annually in military support for 2026 and 2027.
However, the tone shifted when the discussion turned to Iran. Trump declared a 60-day ceasefire agreement all but over after US forces struck Iranian targets, alleging violations and stating, 'We have a score to settle.' He cited Iran's alleged role in past attacks on US troops and vessels, and reiterated the goal of denuclearization. During press conferences, Trump made several verbal misnomers, including referring to "the Islamic Republic of Japan" and asking about "President Putin" while President Zelenskyy was present. He also mispronounced the name of Iran's current supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, referencing Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.