Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney (R) is welcomed by Turkey’s Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek (L) upon their arrival at Esenboga Airport to attend the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Ankara on July 7, 2026. (Photo by Osmancan Gürdoğan / POOL / AFP)
NATO allies unveiled billions of dollars in new defence contracts on Tuesday as they opened a two-day summit in Ankara, Turkey, seeking to demonstrate increased military spending and reassure US President Donald Trump over Europe’s commitment to collective security.
The summit, held at Turkey’s presidential palace, comes a year after NATO members pledged to increase defence spending to five per cent of their gross domestic product under pressure from Trump.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said European allies were delivering on those commitments by increasing military budgets and assuming greater responsibility for the continent’s security in response to the growing threat from Russia.
Ahead of Trump’s arrival in Ankara, NATO launched the summit with a defence industry forum where allies announced a series of major arms agreements worth billions of dollars.
“Allies and industry from both sides of the Atlantic will reveal new major projects and sign contracts worth literally billions of dollars,” Rutte said.
“These are billions that are invested in our security, boosting our economies and supporting hundreds of thousands of new jobs.”
The agreements include contracts for drones, aerial refuelling systems and surveillance aircraft aimed at strengthening Europe’s defence capabilities.
Despite the announcements, tensions remain between Washington and its European allies following disagreements over the recent conflict involving Iran. Trump has criticised European governments for restricting the use of US military bases during operations against Iran and has repeatedly accused allies of failing to shoulder a fair share of the security burden.
“Ridiculous for the U.S.A. to continue along this one-sided path when the relationship is not reciprocal. They were not there for us!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social last week.
European leaders are hoping to avoid a confrontation with the US president, whose repeated questioning of Washington’s commitment to NATO has fuelled concerns about the alliance’s future cohesion.
Diplomats believe Trump’s cordial relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, coupled with sustained engagement by Rutte, could help maintain a constructive atmosphere during the summit.
However, officials remain cautious, noting that Trump’s recent disputes with several world leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, underscore the possibility of fresh tensions.
In an effort to demonstrate support for US security priorities, France and the United Kingdom are leading discussions on a potential European naval mission to help safeguard shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Several European countries have also repositioned naval assets closer to the region while awaiting greater clarity on the implementation of the fragile US-Iran agreement.
At the same time, European governments have increasingly accepted that Washington expects them to assume greater responsibility for the continent’s conventional defence. The United States has already announced plans to reduce some of the military assets it makes available to NATO commanders.
Rutte said the alliance’s latest commitments reflected a fundamental shift in Europe’s approach to defence.
“All of this is evidence of a real shift in mindset. This is NATO 3.0. A stronger Europe in a stronger NATO,” he said.
Beyond strengthening their own defences, European allies have also taken on a larger share of military support for Ukraine as the United States scales back its assistance.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is attending the summit’s leaders’ dinner and is expected to meet Trump, is seeking commitments from European partners to provide at least €70 billion ($80 billion) in military assistance annually in 2026 and 2027.
Following a fresh wave of Russian missile and drone attacks that reportedly killed nearly 30 people, Zelensky urged NATO members to take “strong decisions” to bolster Ukraine’s air defence capabilities.
He is also expected to press Trump to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to return to meaningful peace negotiations, following a recent phone conversation between the two leaders.
