NATO members announced a series of major arms deals ahead of the alliance’s summit in Ankara, as leaders prepare to discuss defence spending, military readiness, and long-term security priorities with US President Donald Trump.
Speaking ahead of the summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said European allies have significantly increased defence investment and military procurement since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He described the latest agreements as part of NATO’s broader effort to strengthen its defence industrial base and expand weapons production.
The alliance is also expected to unveil new initiatives to accelerate defence manufacturing across member states, with a focus on increasing production capacity for missiles, ammunition, and advanced military equipment.
The summit comes amid concerns over Europe’s ability to meet growing defence demands as NATO countries replenish stockpiles while supporting Ukraine’s military. Officials say the new procurement agreements are intended to improve interoperability and ensure the alliance can respond to evolving security challenges.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan before joining NATO leaders for the summit to discuss burden-sharing, defence spending targets, and the alliance’s future strategic direction.
NATO members are expected to commit to increasing defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, with 3.5% allocated to core military capabilities and the remaining 1.5% directed towards defence-related infrastructure and resilience.
The NATO summit is also expected to address regional security challenges, including continued support for Ukraine and strengthening Europe’s long-term defence capabilities.
