US President Donald Trump is set to attend the NATO Summit in Ankara this week to urge alliance members to increase defense spending towards the agreed target of five percent of their GDP. Trump will kick off his visit by meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and engaging in bilateral discussions upon his arrival on Tuesday. The summit will include a social dinner, working session, and meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday.
During a White House preview call, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew G. Whitaker emphasized the importance of allies meeting their defense spending commitments made during the previous summit. Whitaker highlighted that while progress has been made with nearly $139 billion in additional defense spending commitments, there is variation among allies in their contributions. Notably, Poland, the Nordic countries, and the Baltic states are leading in this effort, with Germany expected to reach the target by 2029.
Whitaker stressed the necessity for allies to show significant increases in defense spending to ensure equitable burden-sharing within the alliance. He underscored the importance of enhancing defense production on both sides of the Atlantic and investing in both traditional military capabilities and innovative technologies. The goal remains to shift the burden of Europe’s conventional defense to European allies and Canada, while maintaining a strong and capable alliance.
The White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary, Anna Kelly, highlighted the summit as a pivotal moment in reshaping NATO under President Trump’s leadership. The US has been driving a shift towards burden-sharing and self-reliance within the alliance, moving away from dependency on the US. Discussions at the summit will also focus on procurement frameworks to enhance defense capabilities and provide opportunities for American companies to showcase their products across the alliance.
