NATO faces internal split over defense spending and fuel‑pipeline funding

Diplomats at the NATO summit in Ankara are negotiating a short text that will be approved by leaders on July 7‑8, but disputes have resurfaced. Poland is pushing for NATO to finance an east‑ward expansion of the Cold‑War‑era fuel‑pipeline network, a move backed by several Eastern‑European states. Turkey also seeks funding for its own pipeline upgrades under the alliance’s $28 billion infrastructure programme, while Italy is trying to delay references to increased military aid for Ukraine, arguing that a 2027 deadline could hinder diplomatic talks with Moscow.

At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding that European allies raise their defence spending, warning that failure to meet higher contribution targets could fracture the alliance. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda warned that NATO could split into two or three camps if member states do not adhere to a common defence‑spending line, echoing concerns that differing priorities – from the Baltic states’ push for stronger deterrence to other members’ fiscal constraints – are deepening internal divisions.