started · updated
NATO summit in Ankara discusses 5% defence spending target as Trump, Rutte and leaders gather
Leaders of NATO gathered in Ankara for the 36th NATO summit, with U.S. President Donald Trump arriving to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syrian President Bashar al‑Sham. The summit focused on the alliance’s defence‑spending goal of allocating 5 % of gross domestic product to defence. NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte said, “NATO countries should present clear, solid, reliable plans for the 5 % target,” and warned that increasing deterrence capacity is critical.
Trump used the summit to press allies for higher contributions, calling the German defence budget “laughable” and urging all members to reach the 5 % goal as soon as possible. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a doubling of Germany’s defence budget and a plan to hit the 5 % target by 2029. Rutte also highlighted that defence‑industry contracts discussed at the summit would boost jobs and economic growth across the Atlantic.
The meeting also addressed the ongoing Russia‑Ukraine war, with Rutte noting Russia’s continued attacks on civilian infrastructure and Ukraine’s need for air‑defence support. Discussions on Iran and the broader security environment in the Indo‑Pacific were also on the agenda.