NATO leaders weigh U.S. role shift, spending goals, and defense industry push ahead of Ankara summit

Nato leaders began unveiling arms deals worth tens of billions of dollars in Turkiye on Tuesday, driving home the message that they are heeding US calls to spend more to defend Europe before a summit with President Donald Trump. To upbeat tunes and slick videos at a defence industry forum in the capital Ankara, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte announced a series of initiatives as the sum of various deal values was projected onto a screen. He called for a defence industry “revolution” across the alliance, warning over Russia’s massive military spending as well as China, North Korea and Iran. “We don’t have the luxury of time. We need capabilities now to ensure we remain ready. The security situation demands it,” Rutte said. “The hum of machinery must become a roar.” It was a rallying cry for Western arms firms to ramp up investment to increase capacity, and for governments to place long-term orders and create the conditions for companies to thrive. Europe’s defence sector has often been criticised as fragmented and saddled with red tape and rivalries between companies and countries. That has left Europe more reliant on purchases of weapons from the United States. Weak economic growth and the need to maintain generous state welfare provisions have also made defence spending a tougher sell in Europe. The deals, which had been mostly kept under wraps to make a splash at the summit, included European countries buying surveillance drones from US company Northrop Grumman, and Nato buying planes from Sweden’s Saab. A Saab JAS 39C Gripen jet performs during an aerial show in Eslov, Sweden in this photo from June 5, 2011. — Reuters/File Saab shares were the biggest gainers in Europe, up more than 5 per cent as investors bet on the company benefiting from European rearmament. Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock. US defence company Lockheed Martin and Germany’s Rheinmetall signed a draft deal to jointly produce Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles in Germany, a move that would mark the first non-US manufacture of the short-range ballistic missile. Rutte said Nato allies will invest more than $40 billion in the next five years in their anti-drone capabilities. United States and South Korean troops launch the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) into the waters of the East Sea, off South Korea, on July 5, 2017. — Reuters/File The announcements follow Trump’s frequent criticism of Europe for insufficient defence contributions and over-reliance on the US to defend them through Nato, which has protected the continent since the early years of the Cold War. Trump reinforced the message in a video previewing his visit on Truth Social, urging Europe to spend more on its own defence. Shift on F-35 warplanes to Turkiye Trump arrived in Ankara to meet Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and join fellow leaders of the military alliance for the summit, which begins with a dinner on Tuesday evening. Rutte said on Monday that Europeans had made staggering increases in defence spending in part due to fears of Russia, which have surged since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and also after Trump’s extremely forceful encouragement. According to Rutte, Nato’s European members and Canada spent $90bn more on defence in real terms in 2025 than in 2024, to reach a total of more than $570bn. In a major potential shift, Trump is also expected to tell Erdogan that he is prepared to allow the country to rejoin the F-35 stealth fighter programme, sources told Reuters, an issue that has long been a sore point in bilateral ties. Washington had imposed sanctions and removed Turkiye from the F-35 fighter jet programme after Ankara’s 2019 acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defence system. Iran war prompted Trump to revive criticism of Nato Tensions within Nato have deepened since the US attacked Iran in February. Trump has repeatedly criticised Nato members for insufficient support in the conflict, threatening to quit the alliance. European officials insist they largely honoured commitments to let the US use their airspace and bases, despite not having been consulted about a deeply unpopular war that roiled their economies. The US has also announced troop withdrawals from Europe and launched a six-month review of its military presence on the continent. European officials say they are braced for a repeat of some of Trump’s recent criticism and cannot be sure of a positive outcome. There is also Trump’s volatile relationship with some leaders, most recently seen in a feud with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Nato members are expected to reaffirm support for Ukraine and pledge assistance of €70bn ($80bn) in 2026. Underscoring the stakes, Russia hammered the Kyiv region with missiles and drones on Monday, killing at least 28 people and exposing Ukraine’s critical shortage of US-made air-defence interceptors. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers remarks, at the Nato Summit Defence Industry Forum, on the sidelines of the Nato leaders’ Summit, in Ankara, Turkiye on July 7, 2026. — Reuters

Trump, Turkey and Nato: What's at stake at the Ankara summit? Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Mon, 07/06/2026 - 11:50 As Trump arrives in Ankara, Nato faces a defining test over America's role, Europe's new responsibilities and Turkey's defence industry ambitions A protester holds a banner bearing the Nato logo being destroyed with a punch during a demonstration in Istanbul, 15 July 2026 (Yasin Akgul/AFP) Off US President Donald Trump and the leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) are heading to Ankara this week for a summit that could help determine the future of the alliance. While Trump and other leaders are expected to clash over how to reduce the US's military footprint in Europe, the Turkish government has been busy sprucing up Ankara, Turkey's political capital. Flowers have been planted, roads repaired, and huge banners erected to conceal unsightly details, including poorly maintained buildings. The city is expected to enter a partial lockdown on Tuesday and Wednesday. Efforts to prevent potential protests, or any "nuisance", as Turkish officials put it, have gone so far that, in addition to members of known left-wing organisations, environmentalists and, as of Monday, pro-Palestinian activists, have also been temporarily detained to quell any surprise demonstrations in the capital. Turkish officials see the summit as one of the most positive items on the agenda, linking Turkey's defence industry revival to the West and turning the event into an important marketing opportunity. Ankara's growing strength in aviation, particularly armed drones, as well as ammunition and naval shipbuilding, has already helped make Turkey a defence industry power, with exports reaching $10bn in 2025. A local’s guide to Ankara ahead of the Nato summit Read More » While some European allies have expressed dismay over Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's increasingly repressive handling of the domestic opposition, they have largely avoided criticising him and his government. They hope Ankara can help Europe kickstart a broader revival of the continent's defence industry and chip in troops from its vast army, the second largest after the US within the alliance. "This is a true endeavour on both sides of the Atlantic. Our defences are unmatched when we leverage assets, expertise and innovative capabilities from California to Kyiv, Copenhagen to Warsaw, Oslo to Ankara," Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and Mark Rutte, the secretary-general of Nato, said in a joint article in the Economist over the weekend. "The only way to get there is through co-operation: combining the efforts of countries and industries, allies and partners." European diplomats, speaking in closed-door meetings, already acknowledge Erdogan's role in persuading Trump to come to Ankara and are relying on his support to convince Trump of Nato's continued importance. Nato 3.0 The zeitgeist of the summit is built around ambitious terminology, and this year one phrase has been making the rounds: Nato 3.0. After the Cold War, Nato updated its plans and readiness posture in response to terrorist threats, a shift often described as Nato 2.0. The new concept suggests that allies should focus on building up capabilities, modernising their defence-industrial infrastructure, and sharing more of the burden in Nato defence plans. Russia rejects Turkish ceasefire push in Ukraine ahead of Nato summit, sources say Read More » The aim is to make up for the gaps likely to be left by the US, after the Pentagon announced a six-month timeline to determine which troops, aircraft, and capabilities it will withdraw from Europe in order to focus more heavily on China. European allies are already stepping up. Nato's top commander, US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, told Reuters last week that European Nato allies have largely filled the gaps left by the US in the alliance's defence plans. The US has not publicly disclosed the details of its reductions, but according to figures provided to Reuters by a military source, the cuts range from refuelling aircraft to fighter jets, drones and ships. The number of US F-15 and F-15E fighter jets available to Nato will fall by a third, to 99, while the number of MQ-4 and MQ-9 Reaper drones will be halved to 12, according to the source. The number of KC-135 and KC-46 refuelling aircraft will fall to 63 from 79, while only one strategic bomber and one aircraft carrier would be allocated, rather than two. Several European diplomats told Middle East Eye that Nato's European pillar will be strengthened during the summit, as European allies pledge deeper cooperation, increased weapons production, and more operational commitments. Guldener Sonumut, a Turkish journalist who has covered European affairs for decades, says Nato's conventional defence responsibilities are expected to shift more heavily toward European allies and Canada as the United States gradually reduces its conventional military role. "This will require changes in Nato's command structure, with the US retaining strategic command and planning leadership while Europeans take on more operational responsibilities," he wrote in his column on Sunday. Turning point  The summit is also being presented as a turning point for the defence industry. Nato's Standardisation Agreements (Stanag) are expected to remain the central framework, limiting the European Union's ability to build separate defence standards. That is seen as beneficial for Turkey's burgeoning defence industry, which already uses Nato standards. France weighs up resetting Turkey ties as Europe's security landscape shifts Read More » A defence-industry forum will be held during the Ankara summit on Tuesday, alongside the signing of a large number of multinational defence-industry cooperation agreements. These are expected to cover areas ranging from multidomain operational capabilities to space intelligence. Yahya Bostan, a columnist for the Yeni Safak daily, said during a broadcast last week that the recent debate between Turkey and Europe over Ankara's place in the post-US security architecture of Europe has ended with one conclusion: Nato. Bostan said that, instead of creating a new mechanism for security cooperation, European countries would increase their spending and participation under the Nato umbrella, together with Turkey. Sonumut believes the US is likely to reiterate its role as Europe's nuclear security guarantor within the alliance, potentially by expanding the number of countries hosting dual-capable systems, weapons platforms capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads. Those countries are currently limited to five, including Turkey. Finland's parliament has already passed legislation allowing it to host such weapons. Nato Ankara News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

By Lili BayerBRUSSELS, July 3 (Reuters) - NATO leaders gathering for a summit in Ankara on July 7-8 will discuss a host of challenges facing the alliance, from Europe taking on more responsibility for the continent’s security to boosting defence industrial production.Some officials worry the Iran war could overshadow the gathering, but hope leaders will remain focused on the alliance’s core business: defence and deterrence.Here is a look at the main challenges facing NATO in the months and years to come:KEEPING TRUMP IN

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) leaders gathering for a summit in Ankara on July 7-8 will discuss a host of challenges facing the alliance, from Europe taking on more responsibility for the continent’s security to boosting defence industrial production. Some officials worry the Middle East conflict could overshadow the gathering, but hope leaders will remain focused on the alliance’s core business: defence and deterrence. Here is a look at the main challenges Nato is facing. Keeping Trump in Nato officials say one of their primary goals is to maintain unity and keep the US committed to the alliance’s Article 5 clause, which specifies that an attack on one of its members is an attack on all. The alliance faced two crises this year, which have fuelled tension in the transatlantic relationship: US President Donald Trump’s demands for ownership of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Nato-member Denmark, and his anger at Nato allies over their response to the war on Iran. The US president branded the alliance a “paper tiger” and said he was considering withdrawing from Nato. The alliance’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, has sought to smooth over tensions, using a mix of flattery and data to persuade Trump that European Nato members are fulfilling their promises. Burden-shifting The Trump administration has pushed European governments to take on primary responsibility for the conventional defence of Europe as Washington seeks to dedicate more resources to the Indo-Pacific. Some changes are already underway: Washington has decided to shrink the pool of US military capabilities available to Nato in a crisis, and European Nato members have filled almost all the gaps. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has also announced a new review of America’s troop deployments in Europe and threatened to withhold some US dues to Nato if “free-riding” allies did not meet their defence spending commitments. European officials say they are working to step up on defence. But some have also questioned the US approach, arguing that a transition requires time and raising concern about the unpredictability of policy coming from Washington. Spending more European Nato members and Canada are under significant pressure to boost defence investment, both to improve deterrence and defence against Russia and to demonstrate to Trump that they are taking his demands for burden-shifting seriously. At a summit in the Hague last year, Nato leaders backed the big increase in defence spending that Trump demanded, pledging to spend five per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence and defence-related measures within a decade. Countries pledged to spend 3.5pc of GDP on core defence such as troops and weapons and 1.5pc on broader defence-related measures. Nato’s European allies and Canada increased defence spending by 20pc in 2025 compared with the previous year in real terms, according to alliance data. But not everyone is on a trajectory to meet the new goals, and a number of governments are starting to run into political difficulties with defence spending. Industry With European Nato countries boosting defence investment, a major challenge for the alliance is how to turn money into new military capabilities in a short timeframe. In Ankara, Nato members are expected to announce tens of billions of dollars in new contracts. But some officials have expressed frustration that production has not increased at the pace they had hoped and that it still takes years to get some orders. Nato’s leadership has called on industry to work together, open new production lines and deliver more quickly. Deterring Russia Nato leaders meeting in Ankara are expected to reiterate that Russia poses a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security. While alliance officials say Russia is grappling with significant economic problems and Ukraine has strengthened its position, Rutte has cautioned that nearly half of Russia’s state budget is now dedicated to defence and that the alliance cannot be naive about Moscow. Ukraine European Nato members are continuing to finance aid for Kyiv, more than four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Money is channelled in various ways, including bilateral assistance, a European Union loan and the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List initiative where European countries pay to supply Ukraine with US weapons. While most European leaders say they are committed to continuing to support Kyiv, sustaining a high level of funding remains a challenge amid other demands on national budgets and concern in some capitals that some European governments are contributing disproportionately more than others.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) leaders gathering for a summit in Ankara on July 7-8 will discuss a host of challenges facing the alliance, from Europe taking on more responsibility for the continent’s security to boosting defence industrial production. Some officials worry the Middle East conflict could overshadow the gathering, but hope leaders will remain focused on the alliance’s core business: defence and deterrence. Here is a look at the main challenges Nato is facing. Keeping Trump in Nato officials say one of their primary goals is to maintain unity and keep the US committed to the alliance’s Article 5 clause, which specifies that an attack on one of its members is an attack on all. The alliance faced two crises this year, which have fuelled tension in the transatlantic relationship: US President Donald Trump’s demands for ownership of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Nato-member Denmark, and his anger at Nato allies over their response to the war on Iran. The US president branded the alliance a “paper tiger” and said he was considering withdrawing from Nato. The alliance’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, has sought to smooth over tensions, using a mix of flattery and data to persuade Trump that European Nato members are fulfilling their promises. Burden-shifting The Trump administration has pushed European governments to take on primary responsibility for the conventional defence of Europe as Washington seeks to dedicate more resources to the Indo-Pacific. Some changes are already underway: Washington has decided to shrink the pool of US military capabilities available to Nato in a crisis, and European Nato members have filled almost all the gaps. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has also announced a new review of America’s troop deployments in Europe and threatened to withhold some US dues to Nato if “free-riding” allies did not meet their defence spending commitments. European officials say they are working to step up on defence. But some have also questioned the US approach, arguing that a transition requires time and raising concern about the unpredictability of policy coming from Washington. Spending more European Nato members and Canada are under significant pressure to boost defence investment, both to improve deterrence and defence against Russia and to demonstrate to Trump that they are taking his demands for burden-shifting seriously. At a summit in the Hague last year, Nato leaders backed the big increase in defence spending that Trump demanded, pledging to spend five per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence and defence-related measures within a decade. Countries pledged to spend 3.5pc of GDP on core defence such as troops and weapons and 1.5pc on broader defence-related measures. Nato’s European allies and Canada increased defence spending by 20pc in 2025 compared with the previous year in real terms, according to alliance data. But not everyone is on a trajectory to meet the new goals, and a number of governments are starting to run into political difficulties with defence spending. Industry With European Nato countries boosting defence investment, a major challenge for the alliance is how to turn money into new military capabilities in a short timeframe. In Ankara, Nato members are expected to announce tens of billions of dollars in new contracts. But some officials have expressed frustration that production has not increased at the pace they had hoped and that it still takes years to get some orders. Nato’s leadership has called on industry to work together, open new production lines and deliver more quickly. Deterring Russia Nato leaders meeting in Ankara are expected to reiterate that Russia poses a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security. While alliance officials say Russia is grappling with significant economic problems and Ukraine has strengthened its position, Rutte has cautioned that nearly half of Russia’s state budget is now dedicated to defence and that the alliance cannot be naive about Moscow. Ukraine European Nato members are continuing to finance aid for Kyiv, more than four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Money is channelled in various ways, including bilateral assistance, a European Union loan and the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List initiative where European countries pay to supply Ukraine with US weapons. While most European leaders say they are committed to continuing to support Kyiv, sustaining a high level of funding remains a challenge amid other demands on national budgets and concern in some capitals that some European governments are contributing disproportionately more than others.