NATO Summit: Europeans want to appease Donald Trump and demonstrate their unity in the face of Russia

Leaders of NATO member countries will meet next week in Ankara in the hope of defusing tensions with the US president. Donald Trump and to demonstrate that European allies are strengthening their defense capabilities. This summit takes place in a context marked by disagreements over Iran, Greenland, and the future of the United States' commitment within the Alliance.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte believes this meeting will demonstrate that European countries are honoring their commitments regarding military spending in order to deter any Russian aggression. Several arms contracts worth tens of billions of dollars are expected to be finalized at this event.

Leaders should also reaffirm their support for Ukraine by maintaining funding for arms deliveries in the face of the Russian invasion. The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend a dinner hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is also scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with Donald Trump.

European officials hope that the close relationship between Donald Trump, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Mark Rutte will ensure the summit proceeds smoothly. However, they remain cautious, given the persistent tensions between the two sides of the Atlantic, particularly following disagreements over Iran and the US president's repeated criticism of NATO.

A few days before the meeting, Donald Trump again asserted that the United States was devoting significant resources to protecting its allies without reaping sufficient benefits. In response, Mark Rutte emphasized that the Alliance also contributes to American security and that European countries are now assuming an increasing share of the collective burden.

According to the NATO Secretary General, the Alliance's European members and Canada have increased their defense spending by $90 billion by 2025, bringing the total to over $570 billion. Member states have committed to allocating the equivalent of 3,5% of their gross domestic product to core military spending by 2035, along with an additional 1,5% to defense-related investments, including cybersecurity.