NATO Summit in Ankara Today: Charting the Strategic Vision for the Alliance’s Future and Boosting Defense Investments

The 36th NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government is set to begin in Ankara today, which Burhanettin Duran, head of the communications department at the Turkish Presidency, described as “historically significant in shaping the strategic vision for the alliance’s future.”

According to the Turkish Anadolu Agency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to meet with 32 heads of state and government at the Presidential Complex in the capital, Ankara. Attendees include U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and other leaders of member states, alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Council President Antonio Costa.

The summit is expected to feature an assessment of steps taken under the alliance’s decision to increase defense investments, alongside discussions on developments in Ukraine. Alongside the 32 heads of state and government from NATO member countries, the summit will be attended by several guest leaders, approximately 100 ministers, numerous senior diplomats, representatives of international organizations, and other invitees.

The White House announced that the U.S. President will meet with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, on the sidelines of the summit. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated in a phone briefing with journalists that President Trump will hold bilateral talks with both Zelenskyy and al-Sharaa on the afternoon of Wednesday.

A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said regarding the talks with Zelenskyy: “It is clear that the President will meet with him to discuss how to end the war. This has been a long-standing priority for him.” The senior official added that the U.S. President would subsequently speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In this context, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed yesterday that strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities would be among the key issues discussed during the NATO summit, given the ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. In a post on her official X account, von der Leyen stated that “Ukraine urgently needs more air defense systems,” noting that this issue would be at the center of discussions during the summit. She clarified that the European Union provided the first tranche of four billion euros ($4.567 billion) last week as part of a loan program totaling 90 billion euros ($102.75 billion), aimed at enhancing Ukraine’s defense capabilities, particularly through support for advanced drone technologies.

On the eve of the summit’s opening, Rutte and von der Leyen emphasized that Europe is assuming its responsibilities in the face of growing security threats, calling for close cooperation among allies, from Washington to Ankara, to strengthen deterrence and address defense gaps. This was stated in a joint article they published in the British newspaper The Economist.

Titled “What Should Europe and NATO Do to Prepare for War?”, the article noted that during the Cold War, Europe lived under the umbrella of security protection and focused on investing in peace, leading to reduced defense budgets and smaller armed forces, while relying on the United States, through NATO, to provide necessary military capabilities. They added that “the harsh reality and risks the world faces today have put an end to this approach,” affirming that European NATO and EU member states have once again recognized the necessity of preparing for war.

The article explained that European countries are currently rebuilding and strengthening their defense industrial bases to protect their citizens, freedoms, and security by increasing defense spending and production, opening new factories, and expanding production lines at existing facilities. Rutte and von der Leyen emphasized that “gaps in defense capabilities remain,” pointing out that NATO and EU countries need more fighter jets, aerial refueling tankers, ships, submarines, air and missile defense systems, drones, and systems to counter them.