NATO leaders plan to unveil tens of billions of dollars in arms deals in Ankara on Tuesday to demonstrate their responsiveness to US calls for increased defense spending in Europe before joining President Donald Trump at a summit.
اضافة اعلان
European governments will announce these deals during a NATO defense industry forum before US President Donald Trump arrives to meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and join the rest of the military alliance's leaders at the summit, which begins with a dinner on Tuesday evening.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Monday that Europeans have made "staggering" increases in defense spending. This is partly due to their concerns over Russia, which have escalated since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and also because Trump was "very firm" in urging them to do so.
Trump has repeatedly accused European governments of over-relying on the United States for their defense through NATO, which has provided protection to the continent since the early years of the Cold War.
"We are now building a sustainable alliance... the United States knows it is a fair deal," Rutte told reporters in Ankara on the eve of the summit.
Rutte stated last month that European NATO member states and Canada increased their defense spending in real terms by $90 billion in 2025 compared to 2024, bringing the total to more than $570 billion—an increase of nearly 20% in a single year.
Iran War Drives Trump to Criticize the Alliance
In recent months, Trump launched sharp criticisms anew at other NATO members, accusing them of not doing enough to assist the United States in its war with Iran, and hinting that he might withdraw from the alliance or ignore the mutual defense pact.
European officials stress that they have largely fulfilled their obligations by allowing the United States to use their airspace and bases, even though Washington did not consult them regarding a war that negatively impacted their economies and was highly unpopular in Europe.
The United States also announced the withdrawal of troops from Europe and reduced the forces it allocates to NATO defense plans—including an aircraft carrier, refueling aircraft, fighter jets, and drones—while launching a six-month review of its military presence on the continent.
European officials say they are prepared for the possibility of Trump repeating some of his recent criticisms during the summit, but they hope that Erdogan and Rutte will use their close ties with the US President to keep the summit calm.
However, they made it clear that they cannot guarantee a positive outcome given the ongoing tensions over Greenland and Iran, as well as Trump's volatile relationships with some leaders, recently highlighted in a dispute with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Reuters
