Ankara summit embraces ‘stronger Europe, stronger NATO’ vision

ANKARA

Two men walk past the NATO logo during the NATO Defense Industry Forum at the NATO summit in Ankara. (AP Photo)

NATO leaders on July 8 endorsed the slogan “a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO” at the alliance’s summit in Ankara, pledging higher defense spending, expanded military production and a greater European role in collective security while reaffirming the transatlantic alliance.

In a joint declaration issued after the summit, the heads of state and government said the alliance was “building the future: a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO — a modernized Alliance,” underscoring that European allies and Canada, working alongside the United States, are assuming greater responsibility for NATO’s defense.

The declaration reflects NATO’s broader effort to strengthen Europe’s military capabilities while preserving the alliance’s transatlantic framework, amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and growing concerns over long-term security challenges.

Leaders reiterated their “ironclad commitment” to NATO’s collective defense under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, declaring that “an attack on one is an attack on all.”

The allies said they were implementing the defense investment commitments agreed at The Hague summit. They noted that European allies and Canada increased spending on core defense requirements by more than $139 billion in 2025.

The alliance also announced more than $50 billion in new defense procurements and committed to expanding manufacturing capacity, accelerating innovation with industry partners and removing barriers to defense trade among member states.

The declaration highlighted plans to modernize NATO’s military capabilities through investments in long-range precision strike systems, integrated air and missile defense, unmanned systems, advanced technologies and intelligence. Leaders also pledged to develop an interoperable transatlantic warfighting cloud and adopt advanced artificial intelligence models.

On Ukraine, NATO reaffirmed its “unwavering support” for Kiev, describing the country as a contributor to transatlantic security. The allies pledged 70 billion euros ($82 billion) in military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine in 2026 and said they intended to sustain at least equivalent levels of support next year.

The declaration also addressed broader security challenges, saying NATO would continue adapting to strategic competition, hybrid threats and regional instability. Allies reiterated that Iran “must never have a nuclear weapon” and called on Tehran to respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The leaders concluded by thanking Türkiye for hosting the summit and said they looked forward to their next meeting.