Preparations for major arms deals in NATO accelerate ahead of summit
The NATO Ankara Summit stands out as a critical turning point where new multi-billion dollar defense agreements are expected to be announced. European countries, meanwhile, want to demonstrate that they are significantly increasing their defense spending under pressure from US President Donald Trump.
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NATO member countries are preparing to bring new large-scale collaborations in the arms and defense industry to the agenda ahead of the important summit to be held in Ankara. European capitals want to both respond to the US call for "more spending" to allies and send a clear message regarding defense obligations.
HISTORIC RISE IN DEFENSE SPENDING
According to information provided by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the 2025 defense spending of European countries and Canada has exceeded the 570 billion dollar mark, an increase of 90 billion dollars compared to the previous year. Rutte stated, "We are now building a sustainable alliance. The US knows this is a fair deal." The 20 percent growth in spending stands out as a result of security concerns triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the long-standing pressure from the US administration.
US President Donald Trump has been criticizing allied countries, especially in recent months, for not providing enough support to Washington in the conflicts in Iran. Trump has also made statements questioning the US's obligations within NATO, insisting that Europe must take on more of its own defense responsibilities.
AGENDA AT THE SUMMIT: US MILITARY PRESENCE AND NEW PLANS
Among the main agenda items highlighted at this year's summit are the reductions in the US military presence in Europe. The Washington administration has decided to withdraw some of its forces on the continent and remove key assets, such as aircraft carriers, from the alliance's exercises and defense plans. The US has also launched a new six-month process to evaluate its military position in the region.
It is assessed that Trump may bring these criticisms to the agenda once again by meeting with President Erdoğan and other NATO leaders in Ankara. However, some observers believe that the close relations between Erdoğan, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Trump could balance the tension.
EAGER ANTICIPATION FOR DEALS
The details of the multi-billion dollar defense agreements to be announced days before the summit remain confidential. The NATO administration aims to send a message of "strong alliance determination" to the whole world by announcing these agreements collectively in Ankara. Dutch Minister of Defense Dilan Yeşilgöz announced that her country would publicly disclose new defense and cooperation agreements worth over 3 billion euros. In this context, new partnerships are expected to be established with Belgium in the field of air defense systems and with the UK regarding naval vessels.
Furthermore, it is stated that a comprehensive modernization project regarding the replacement of the old model American AWACS aircraft in NATO's inventory with the GlobalEye system developed by the Swedish firm Saab will also be announced.
SUMMIT IN THE SHADOW OF UNCERTAINTIES
At the summit, various political tensions experienced recently, particularly regarding Iran and Greenland, as well as the disagreements Trump has had with European leaders, create some question marks for all allies. Despite this, it is assessed that the meeting of leaders in Ankara will pave the way for new partnerships and that NATO will reiterate its message of unity.
The exact details of the defense cooperation agreements continue to be kept largely confidential without being shared with the public. NATO officials emphasize that making major announcements specifically before the summit will be a clear indicator of the transformation in European defense policy in the face of criticism from Washington.