Key facts
- President Donald Trump will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Turkey.
- The meeting aims to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
- Trump is focused on enforcing NATO members' pledges to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.
- Trump also plans to meet with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
- The U.S. administration is advocating for a "NATO 3.0" strategy, shifting more security responsibilities to Europe.
President Donald Trump is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey, with discussions expected to focus on ending the war in Ukraine. This meeting comes as Trump's primary objective at the summit is to enforce the defense spending pledges made by NATO members last year, urging them to commit to spending 5% of their GDP on defense over the next decade.
Trump has reshaped the alliance by pushing for increased defense expenditures, and he expects allies to act with urgency. Despite past disagreements on issues like Iran, Greenland, and personal disputes, NATO members have largely heeded his call for higher spending. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker emphasized that Trump expects immediate action on these targets.
Trump's agenda also includes meetings with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the summit's host. The administration is also promoting a "NATO 3.0" strategy, which aims to shift more security responsibilities to European nations, allowing the U.S. to redirect its focus.
A bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators will also attend the summit, seeking to represent broad congressional support for the alliance and to counterbalance Trump's critical stance towards NATO. Senator Jeanne Shaheen highlighted the importance of strong relationships with NATO allies for U.S. national security and economic success.