- Ukraine’s Zelenskyy sought stronger air defense amid Russian attacks.
- NATO leaders and key partners are holding talks in Ankara
- NATO chief Mark Rutte called for a ‘trans-Atlantic defense industrial revolution’
- The meeting is taking place to review progress made since the 2025 summit in The Hague
- Last year’s summit saw allies commit to increasing defense budgets from 2% of GDP to 5%, amid US pressure
- Talks are taking place amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine and a fragile US-Iran ceasefire deal
NATO chief calls for ‘trans-Atlantic defense industrial revolution’
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is calling for a paradigm shift in military industry and is pushing for a “trans-Atlantic defense industrial revolution.”
“The hum of machinery must become a roar,” Rutte told a NATO defense industry forum in Ankara.
“Industry across all of the nations represented here must be ready to take more risk. The demand is there, and you know it,” the NATO chief said.
“We need to ensure that we are translating our economic might into military capabilities, putting the cash to work from defense plans to drones, from money to missiles and interceptors,” Rutte said.
NATO on Tuesday showcased a series of military projects worth billions of dollars, with Rutte saying: “It’s money well spent.”
US President Donald Trump is due in Ankara later Tuesday and has labeled the alliance a “paper tiger” that would cease to function without American weapons and leadership.
LIVE: NATO allies meet in Ankara for crucial summit
European and North American NATO allies are meeting in Ankara, Turkey for a two day summit. The meeting comes in the shadow of increasing Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, US President Donald Trump’s demands of the alliance and the need for European allies to take on more responsibility for European security.
Will NATO deliver? Will Trump get what he wants? Join us as we explore these questions in our Livestream.
Turkish police detain anti-NATO protesters
Police in Ankara have detained a number of anti-NATO demonstrators after they managed to defy a strict ban on protests during the two-day summit, according to local media reports.
Daily publication Cumhuriyetreported that police officers handcuffed and dragged protesters onto a police bus near Kurtulus Park.
“NATO get out, this land belongs to us,” some protestors were heard chanting in Turkish.
German news agency dpa reported that some in the group, including opposition lawmakers, had attempted to march but were blocked by police.
Lawmakers from the Workers Party of Turkey (TİP) and the Labour Party (EMEP) demanded the release of all those who had participated in the anti-NATO protests.
Trump heads to Ankara as NATO Industry Forum puts defense deals center stage
Donald Trump is finally in the air on his way to Ankara. Everything here has been prepared for his arrival.
The streets around the Turkish president’s palace where the NATO summit is taking place are eerily empty because the area has been sealed off since Monday evening.
Trump is being welcomed against the backdrop of multi-billion-dollar contracts signed between NATO partners and the defense industry. It was a major show put on by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in a vast, glass-covered reception hall, standing before a giant screen.
“I am proud to say that we have a lot to show today,” Rutte told the audience, with techno music and modern defense technology on the screen in a presentation that at times felt as if he were the star host of the event.
“Today you will see, and the world will see, industries from North America and Europe working hand in hand, innovating together and developing next-generation capabilities,” Rutte said.
One example highlighted at the forum was the planned acquisition of up to 10 GlobalEye aircraft, capable of detecting complex threats from the air at long distances. They are replacing the aging fleet of Boeing AWACS planes. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also stressed that the project would help secure American jobs.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also landed in Ankara. He is hoping to secure new drone deals and other agreements with NATO partners, particularly to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses.
Zelenskyy has more than two dozen bilateral meetings on his agenda at the industry forum today, he wrote on X. A longer meeting with Trump is scheduled for tomorrow.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy arrives in Ankara for NATO summit
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has arrived in Ankara for the NATO summit.
Zelenskyy shared a video of his arrival, along with his wife Olena, where he was met by a guard of honor.
“Important work lies ahead in Ankara. We expect a strong and productive NATO Summit,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
“Decisions are needed now that will provide greater protection for our people, more capabilities for our defense, and even stronger security cooperation between Ukraine, Europe, and the United States,” Zelenskyy said.
Ahead of the summit, Zelenskyy urged US and European partners to boost Ukraine’s air defense, for example with the supply of more US-made interceptors.
Russian missile attacks on Ukraine killed at least 28 people on Monday. Ukraine, meanwhile, launched more than 400 drones toward Russia’s capital, Moscow, on Tuesday.
Trump set to put NATO unity to the test at Turkey summit
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is working to keep the alliance united and US President Donald Trump engaged. But disputes over burden sharing, US military commitments, and the Iran war are creating a major test for NATO unity.
Read more about what this year’s summit seeks to achieve in this DW article.
WATCH: Russia strikes Kyiv ahead of NATO summit
Russia’s latest missile assault on Kyiv killed at least 20 people and exposed major gaps in Ukraine’s air defenses. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy heads to the NATO summit in Turkey, he’s urging allies to send more Patriot interceptors.
NATO allies to purchase more surveillance drones: Rutte
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said members of the defense alliance would be buying up to five Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton high altitude surveillance drones.
Norway, Finland, Germany and Denmark have signed letters of intent for the purchase.
The Triton drones will add to NATO’s current fleet of RQ-4D Phoenix intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drones.
The standard model MQ-4C Triton semi-autonomous surveillance drones can fly for 30 hours and can survey 7,000,000 square kilometers (2,700,000 square miles) in a single pass.
Rutte said intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance were critical for the alliance.
The NATO chief also announced that there would be investment to the tune of €35 billion ($40 billion) over the next five years to bolster drone defense capabilities.
Germany’s top diplomat hails progress on defense spending
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul says defense spending is heading in the right direction, amid severe criticism from US President Donald Trump that NATO allies are not paying their share.
“We’re looking at the numbers and they are pointing up,” Wadephul told Germany’s Deutschlandfunk radio.
NATO allies committed last year to raise defense spending from 2% to 3.5% of national GDP by 2035.
Wadephul said that Germany was on course to reach that target by the end of the decade.
“We are spending more than many of our partners,” he stressed. “What Germany is doing is also being noticed in Washington.”
The US spends by far the most on defense among NATO allies, with $980 billion (€857.5 billion) spent in 2025.
This was followed by Germany at $93.75 billion and the United Kingdom at $90.51 billion, according to figures from Statista.
NATO chief boasts European spending ahead of key summit
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Monday projected optimism that European NATO allies and Canada are “on a trajectory to equalize their defense spending” with the United States, as President Donald Trump continues to lambaste allies for allegedly spending too little.
Rutte said that “the evidence we see so far is impressive” with projections showing that allies will invest a combined $258 billion (€226 billion) more in defense in 2025 and 2026 than they have in previous years.
Read more about NATO’s spending goals in this DW article.
WATCH: NATO summit could boost Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey
As NATO leaders meet in Ankara, Turkey’s growing strategic importance is boosting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s influence. But does the country’s key role in the alliance give Erdogan more room to maneuver at home?
NATO Summit 2026: What to expect
Leaders of NATO’s 32 members countries and key partners will meet to review progress made on commitments since the 2025 uummit in The Hague while also setting out a roadmap to continue delivering on NATO’s key objectives.
On Tuesday, there will be a large-scale defense industry forum that will help allies tailor their budgets to align with defense capabilities while also improving cooperation with partners like South Korea.
NATO foreign and defense ministers are also due to hold informal talks over dinner. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be attending the event as he seeks continued support and commitment from allies amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.
On Wednesday, NATO leaders will reconvene for talks focused on Europe taking on greater responsibility for its own defense as the US shifts its focus to the Pacific and other regions.
Ahead of the summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that NATO allies, “along with partners from Ukraine, the EU, the Indo-Pacific and the Gulf will gather here in Ankara to ensure that NATO continues to deliver. Allies have already shown that they’re stepping up in a big way.”
“We are stronger together, in NATO, with our partners, to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear,” Rutte said in a post on X.
Welcome to our coverage
NATO allies are gathering in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, for two days of talks on defense spending and arms procurement.
Last year’s summit in The Hague saw allies agree to a substantial hike in defense spending from 2% to 5% of GDP by 2035 amid pressure from US President Donald Trump.
The US leader will be among those attending, and despite last year’s commitments, he still has the alliance in his sights after European allies imposed restrictions on US forces using bases to attack Iran.
A large-scale military industry forum takes place on Tuesday morning, followed by a keynote address from NATO chief Mark Rutte.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is hosting the talks at the Bestepe Presidential Compound on the western edge of Ankara.
The summit comes amid Russia’s continued full-scale invasion of Ukraine and a fragile ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran.
Stay with our updates as we bring you the latest news and analysis from the NATO summit.
Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.
