ANKARA: Leaders of NATO’s 32 member states began gathering in Ankara on Tuesday for a two-day summit expected to shape the alliance’s future as it confronts Russia’s war in Ukraine, mounting security threats and growing pressure to increase defence spending.
Hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Beştepe Presidential Complex, the summit has brought together heads of state and government from across the alliance, alongside key European Union leaders and partner countries.
Summit Marks New Phase for NATO
Speaking at the “NATO Allies in Ankara” event ahead of the summit, Turkish Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran described the gathering as another turning point in NATO’s historical evolution.
The stage is set in Ankara.
Under President Erdoğan’s leadership, Türkiye stands ready to welcome NATO members at a moment that will define the Alliance’s future.
The decisions taken in Ankara will not merely address immediate challenges — they will shape the Euro‑Atlantic… pic.twitter.com/YjAXXW2pD2
— Hakan Fidan (@HakanFidan) July 7, 2026
He said the alliance must rethink collective defence in response to increasingly complex security challenges, arguing that higher defence spending alone would not be sufficient.
According to Duran, NATO also needs coherent policies and a shared strategic understanding of how military and non-military tools should work together to address emerging threats.
Defence Spending, Ukraine Top Agenda
A central focus of the summit is expected to be burden-sharing within the alliance, with US President Donald Trump continuing to press European allies to shoulder a greater share of defence spending.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has urged member states to present credible plans to meet the alliance’s target of spending 5% of GDP on defence and security by 2035.
European allies are also expected to announce major defence procurement agreements worth billions of dollars, demonstrating their commitment to strengthening NATO’s military capabilities.
Support for Ukraine is another key issue following fresh Russian missile and drone attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is attending the summit seeking stronger air defence support and additional military assistance from alliance members.
Wide Participation
The summit is also being attended by European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, while defence and foreign ministers from several partner countries are participating in parallel meetings and defence industry forums.
The Ankara summit is expected to conclude on Wednesday with a joint declaration outlining NATO’s priorities on defence investment, collective security, military modernisation and continued support for Ukraine amid an increasingly uncertain global security environment.
