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US President Donald Trump and NATO allies will begin critical talks at a high-stakes summit opening Wednesday in Ankara, Türkiye.
NATO chief Mark Rutte sought to shore up confidence in Washington’s commitment to the military alliance ahead of the main session while acknowledging Trump’s expectation that European members and Canada must equalise their defence spending.
The gathering opens under the shadow of fresh Middle East tensions following extensive US strikes on Iran and subsequent reprisal attacks on American Gulf bases.
To avoid a confrontation with Trump, NATO allies unveiled tens of billions in new arms contracts on the eve of the summit, proving they are actively hiking defence budgets.
Newly published alliance figures show that European core defence spending rose 11 per cent in 2026 to hit $634 billion.
Rutte hailed these surging budgets as a big win for the American president, demonstrating that allies are taking greater responsibility for their own continental defence.
The summit agenda also covers stalled peace efforts in Ukraine, with Trump scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines after a recent phone call with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, Europe and Canada plan to pledge 70 billion euros annually in military support to Ukraine for both 2026 and 2027.
Trump also reopened an old diplomatic wound by reiterating his desire for the US to control Greenland, which drew a swift rebuttal from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who stated the territory is not for sale.
In a positive development for the host nation, the US President announced he would consider selling F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye and roll back sanctions that Washington previously imposed in 2019.
Trump praised his personal chemistry with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, contrasting sharply with his lingering bitterness toward European allies over restrictions placed on US military bases.
The US President will also hold talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as Syria attempts to rebuild its international image following years of civil war.
