By Ijeoma Agbafo
NATO leaders will meet in Ankara, Türkiye, next Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss increasing defence spending, continued support for Ukraine and strengthening the alliance as the United States reduces some of its security commitments to Europe.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the summit would demonstrate that European allies are honouring commitments to increase defence spending to deter Russia, adding that arms deals worth tens of billions of dollars are expected to be signed.
Leaders are also expected to reaffirm support for Ukraine by maintaining funding for weapons in its war against Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend a dinner hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who will also hold bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The meeting comes amid lingering tensions between Europe and the United States over Iran and Trump’s repeated criticism of NATO. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the United States was spending money to protect NATO members without receiving adequate benefits in return.
Rutte maintained that the alliance remained vital to U.S. security, saying European allies and Canada were taking greater responsibility for the continent’s defence while working closely with Washington.
