President Donald Trump departed the White House for Ankara, where he will participate in this week’s NATO summit focused on urging member states to accelerate their defense spending commitments and deepen cooperative efforts in defense industries. Upon arrival, Trump will be welcomed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with whom he will hold bilateral talks following a formal State Arrival Ceremony.
The summit agenda includes a NATO Leaders’ working session slated for Wednesday, during which Trump is set to meet with key figures such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Before departing Ankara later that day, Trump will hold a press conference to outline outcomes and perspectives from the gathering.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew G. Whitaker has emphasized that the summit will assess allies' progress toward agreed defense spending targets, originally set at five percent of gross domestic product at last year’s Hague summit. Whitaker highlighted the urgent need for NATO members to not only pursue sustainable increases but reach this goal swiftly, given the heightened global security risks.
According to Whitaker, NATO allies have collectively pledged nearly $139 billion in increased defense budgets since the Hague meeting, with about half allocated to American-made weapons and equipment. However, the distribution of this effort has varied significantly. Poland, Nordic countries, and the Baltic states are among the strongest performers, while Germany is projected to meet the target only by 2029.
The summit will also evaluate how members are strengthening NATO's overall military capabilities and defense production capacities across the Atlantic. Whitaker stressed the importance of delivering both quantitative and qualitative improvements in defense to achieve fairer burden sharing among allies. The US aims to encourage Europe and Canada to assume greater responsibility for conventional defense, a shift seen as necessary for the alliance's enduring strength.
The Presidential delegation accompanying Trump includes key cabinet members and senior White House officials, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. Their presence underscores the administration’s commitment to maintaining a robust transatlantic defense partnership amid evolving global security challenges.