NATO summit in Ankara: Trump pushes allies to increase defence spending

NATO leaders will convene in Ankara on Tuesday after a turbulent six months. The United States continues to pressure its allies to boost defence spending, and the other 31 members of the alliance hope to placate an unpredictable Donald Trump.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday called on allies to present “clear, concrete and credible plans” to reach the organisation’s spending targets. “President Trump fully expects that all allies will step up immediately and get on the path to 5% and do it with urgency,” he said.

During the summit, NATO members will unveil tens of billions of dollars in new arms contracts at an industry forum, aiming to show Trump they are delivering on defence spending pledges. The two-day meeting in the Turkish capital is expected to agree on a largely symbolic €70 billion in military aid for Ukraine this year and next, though much of it reflects previous commitments.

Last year, European members and Canada pledged to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP (3.5% directly and 1.5% for infrastructure). Rutte presented Trump in the Oval Office with charts illustrating the “Trump trillion” – the cumulative amount spent by European members and Canada since Trump first took office in 2017.

However, transatlantic relations are strained. Since the start of the year, Trump has threatened to take over Greenland from NATO member Denmark, failed to consult European leaders before the attack on Iran, and had spats with the UK and Italy. The US plans to reduce troop and equipment numbers in Europe in the event of a war with Russia, including cutting F-15 and F-16 jets by a third.

Trump is bringing 1,400 people to Turkey, including personnel responsible for disposing of his toilet waste – a standard protocol to prevent health intelligence analysis. Diplomatic efforts are underway to “Trump-proof” the summit. The final communiqué is expected to be short, reaffirming fundamentals such as Article 5. A positive outcome would involve “no angry outbursts from President Trump” and more funding for defence and Ukraine.