NATO leaders assembled in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, for a high-stakes summit focused on defense budgeting, alliance unity, and military assistance for Ukraine.
The gathering is marked by diplomatic friction as allied nations navigate shifting American policies under U. S.
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President Donald Trump, who recently initiated a military campaign against Iran and proposed annexing Greenland.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, and other allied heads on the sidelines of the summit, where countries are projected to announce tens of billions in defense expenditures.
Sources reported that President Trump is expected to back the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey during his visit, despite unresolved congressional bans linked to Ankara's 2019 purchase of a Russian S-400 missile system.
Concerns Over U.S. Policy Shifts
The policy shifts from Washington have generated concern within the defense community regarding potential reductions in U. S.
troop commitments and funding for European security.
“I think Europeans view President Trump as quite combustible and are quite nervous,” said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
Bergmann noted that international leaders face heavy domestic political pressure to demonstrate resolve when dealing with the American administration.
“They're nervous that the summit could be more calamitous, especially now, as there's more domestic political pressure on European leaders to be seen as standing up to Trump,” Bergmann said.
