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United States President Donald Trump has said he is “very disappointed with NATO” on the opening day of a summit of leaders of the mutual defence alliance in Ankara that exposed tensions over European defence spending, the Russia-Ukraine war and the future of Greenland.
Trump received a high-profile welcome from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who praised their relationship and described their personal connection as having strong “chemistry”. The warm exchange stood in contrast to Trump’s continued criticism of some European allies over their handling of recent geopolitical disputes.
“I was very disappointed with NATO,” Trump said repeatedly, setting the tone for discussions with the alliance’s other leaders as they gathered for the main summit session.
The meeting comes as NATO faces pressure over defence contributions, with Trump pushing members to fulfil commitments to increase military expenditure. Figures released by the alliance showed that European core defence spending rose by 11 per cent in 2026, reaching $634 billion, up from $571 billion the previous year.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said European allies were “delivering” by expanding military budgets and taking greater responsibility for defending the continent, particularly in response to security concerns linked to Russia.
The summit is also expected to focus on efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Trump said he believed both Russia and Ukraine were interested in reaching an agreement.
“I think they both want to make a deal,” he said ahead of planned talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the summit.
Zelensky has continued to call for stronger military assistance, particularly for Ukraine’s air defence systems, while also renewing Kyiv’s push for NATO membership.
Beyond Ukraine, Trump is scheduled to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as Syria seeks to improve international relations following years of conflict. He also announced a shift in US policy towards Turkey, saying Washington would remove sanctions and consider Turkey’s return to the F-35 fighter jet programme.
“We don’t want to sanction friends,” Trump said during talks with Erdogan, who expressed confidence that the dispute between the two countries would be resolved.
The summit highlights ongoing efforts by NATO leaders to balance alliance priorities while managing Trump’s demands for greater burden-sharing and a changing US role in European security.
