\n\tNato leaders will gather in Ankara for a summit on Tuesday and Wednesday, amid pressure from President Donald Trump for Europe to step up defence \u200bspending and following months of transatlantic friction over the Iran war and Greenland.<\/p>\n
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\n\tThe US\u00a0president’s frequent criticism of Nato, along with announced troop withdrawals from Europe and a six-month review of the US military presence on the continent, has fuelled uncertainty within the alliance.<\/p>\n
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\n\tHere is what you need to know about the summit:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat will leaders discuss?
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Trump administration has pushed for Europe to boost defence investment and take on primary responsibility for the continent’s defence.<\/p>\n
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\n\tOfficials expect leaders to focus on progress towards defence spending targets, boosting defence industrial production and how to implement “burden-shifting” \u200cfrom the US to Europe.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWhich leaders will be there?
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tLeaders from Nato’s 32 \u200bmember countries, including Trump, will attend the summit.<\/p>\n
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\n\tUkrainian President Volodymyr \u200bZelenskiy, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are expected to join a dinner \u200bwith Nato leaders on Tuesday evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat will leaders say about defence?\u00a0
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\n\tEuropean leaders will aim to show Trump that they are delivering on a pledge made at a summit in The Hague last year to spend 5 per cent of gross domestic product on defence and defence-related measures by 2035.<\/p>\n
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\n\t“In 2025, European Allies and Canada increased their investments in core defence requirements by more than $139bn,” leaders are expected to say in a summit declaration, according to a text seen by Reuters.<\/p>\n
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\n\t“We are building \u200bthe future: a stronger Europe in a stronger Nato – a modernised Alliance. European Allies and Canada, working with the United States, are assuming greater responsibility for the Alliance’s defence,” they \u200care set to say.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat will Nato members do for Ukraine?
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tNato members are expected to reaffirm support for Ukraine and pledge further assistance.<\/p>\n
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\n\t“For \u200b2026, Allies pledge \u20ac70bn in military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine and affirm their sovereign commitments to sustaining at least equivalent levels in 2027,” the leaders are expected to say.<\/p>\n
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\n\tPart of the funding will come from existing bilateral pledges and an EU loan facility that provides \u20ac60 billion for Ukrainian defence investment and procurement for 2026-2027. The United States is not expected \u200cto contribute funding.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat will the alliance do on industry?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWhile last \u200byear’s summit focused on agreeing a new spending pledge, officials want this \u200cyear’s gathering to focus on scaling up weapons production and boosting defence innovation.<\/p>\n
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\n\tThe alliance will host a defence industry forum in Ankara on Tuesday, where \u200cdeals worth tens of billions of dollars will be announced.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWill Iran come up?\u00a0
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tEuropean officials are concerned that the Iran war, and Trump’s irritation with European governments \u200bover their response to it, could overshadow the summit.<\/p>\n
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\n\tIn their summit declaration, leaders are expected to say that “allies reiterate that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon and call on Iran to fully respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat \u200bdoes host Turkey want?
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tTurkey will seek to highlight its growing defence industry capabilities and repeat its longstanding call for alliance members to lift all restrictions on defence trade within Nato.<\/p>\n
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\n\tPresident Tayyip Erdogan will also want to make progress with allies such as France and \u200cItaly on the purchase of SAMP\/T missile defence systems and other defence industry cooperation.<\/p>\n
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\n\tIn bilateral talks with Trump, Erdogan is expected to highlight improving ties between Ankara \u200cand Washington while pressing for the lifting of US sanctions and renewed access to the F-35 fighter jet programme.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWho else is coming?
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tAlso in Ankara, Nato foreign ministers are expected to meet counterparts from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and to hold a dinner discussion with Ukraine’s foreign minister and European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.<\/p>\n
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\n\tNato defence ministers are also set to hold talks with ministers from Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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