All articles tagged with #nato summit
President Trump left Turkey aboard an older Air Force One while the Qatar-donated, retrofitted jet remained at the base, then boarded the new Boeing 747-8 in Britain for the flight home amid scrutiny over cost, security upgrades and the delayed next-generation aircraft.
At the Ankara NATO summit, European officials pressed allies to reduce dependence on the United States, pledging to build up military capacity and diversify supply chains as Trump resumes hostilities with Iran; the alliance issued tougher language on Russia, reaffirmed support for Ukraine, and saw moves like Canada’s submarine deal with Germany, while U.S. strikes on Iranian targets and threats to blockade Hormuz intensified the crisis, underscoring a growing transatlantic split over security responsibilities.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave engraved pistols with live ammunition and a cleaning kit to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa as leaving gifts at a NATO summit in Ankara; their security teams are handling the weapons under Belgian procedures, and other leaders said they would decommission or leave their pistols in Turkey before returning home.
At the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump suggested Ukraine could be licensed to manufacture Patriot interceptors to counter Russia’s missile threat, but the promise was vague and unbacked by talks with Lockheed Martin or RTX. Even if granted, the plan faces big hurdles: high costs (about $3 million per interceptor), limited US stockpiles, and a long timeline to build production facilities. The US only produces roughly 50–60 Patriots per month for itself and allies, and depleted stocks mean Kyiv would not receive immediate help. Experts warn licensing Ukraine won’t quickly solve urgent air-defence needs, as Russia continues launching missiles and a production facility could be a target for retaliation.
After venting about Greenland, President Trump embraced the NATO defense alliance at the summit in Ankara, praising allies for higher defense spending and signaling continued support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Ukrainian long-range Fire Point drones hit the Omsk oil refinery in western Siberia, causing a fire and signaling Kyiv’s expanded reach about 2,500 km from Ukraine. The refinery is Russia’s largest to be hit and has capacity over 21 million tons per year. The attack came on the eve of a NATO summit in Ankara and Kyiv said it also targeted oil facilities in other Russian regions, with no casualties reported; Russia had previously launched missiles and drones against Kyiv.
As NATO's summit nears in Ankara, Turkish authorities widen a crackdown on public life, arresting hundreds, jailing a comedian for insults to the president, blocking an LGBTQ+ cruise from docking, and detaining journalists, prompting rights groups to warn of shrinking freedoms of speech and assembly amid ongoing opposition and media repression.
President Trump heads to Turkey for a NATO summit where Western leaders hope to manage his criticisms and demands, while the alliance seeks to show it can still deliver for the United States even as he presses Europe and ties his White House agenda to the alliance’s security goals.
Ahead of a NATO summit, President Trump’s planned attendance highlights Turkey’s rising prominence in the alliance, driven by its growth in weapons production and Erdogan’s diplomacy. Western leaders praise Turkey’s defense industry amid concerns about democratic direction, boosting Erdogan’s domestic standing even as Turkey-EU relations remain strained.
President Petr Pavel has filed a competency lawsuit with the Czech Constitutional Court to determine who decides on the president’s participation in international duties, after Prime Minister Andrej Babiš announced Pavel would not join a July delegation to Ankara for the NATO summit. Pavel argues that representing the country abroad is a presidential prerogative, while the government cites practicality and defence-spending concerns. The Beştepe summit is scheduled for July 7–8, with NATO members under pressure to meet defence commitments set at last year’s Hague summit.
Downing Street says the government will press ahead with the controversial Defence Investment Plan and publish it before the NATO summit, despite Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation as prime minister and Labour leader. The plan’s publication and the broader defence funding package, which has already prompted ministerial resignations, could be revisited by a future leader, complicating the government’s credibility with allies and shaping the response of a coming prime minister.
Britain’s Defense Investment Plan is mired in delays and political infighting, prompting Defence Secretary John Healey to resign and Dan Jarvis to take over as the UK scrambles to meet NATO spending expectations ahead of the Ankara summit; the DIP would lift defense spending to about 2.68% of GDP by 2030, still short of NATO’s 3.5% target by 2035, prompting industry and military concerns and highlighting disputes among Downing Street, the MoD and the Treasury as allies press the UK to accelerate funding, including pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
At this year's NATO summit, Ukraine's issue was sidelined, with less focus on its NATO membership and ongoing conflict with Russia, as U.S. President Trump prioritized other issues and allies aimed to please him, leading to diminished support and attention for Ukraine's war efforts.
President Trump claims the U.S. and Israeli strikes have completely destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities, contradicting early Pentagon reports suggesting limited damage, and emphasizes that Iran's nuclear program is effectively halted for years, while also dismissing the need for negotiations and highlighting ongoing tensions in the region.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's last-minute cancellation of his NATO summit attendance signals strained Japan-US relations, influenced by Trump's tariffs, diplomatic disagreements, and domestic political pressures, prompting Japan to seek stronger security ties with other partners like NATO and Australia.