NATO leaders gathered in Ankara on Tuesday to announce arms deals worth tens of billions of dollars, signaling compliance with U.S. demands for greater European defense spending ahead of a summit with President Donald Trump. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed European members and Canada increased defense spending by roughly 20% in 2025, reaching over $570 billion. The Netherlands alone announced deals worth more than €3 billion. NATO also plans to replace its aging AWACS aircraft fleet with Sweden’s Saab GlobalEye system. Tensions remain over Iran, Greenland, and Trump’s unpredictable relationships with allied leaders.
In-Depth:
By Andrew Gray
ANKARA, July 7 (Reuters) – NATO leaders plan to unveil arms deals worth tens of billions of dollars in Ankara on Tuesday to reveal they are heeding U.S. calls to spfinish more to deffinish Europe before joining President Donald Trump for a summit.
European governments will announce the deals at a NATO defence industest forum before Trump flies in to meet Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and join fellow leaders of the military alliance for the summit, which launchs with a dinner on Tuesday evening.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated on Monday Europeans had built “staggering” increases in defence spfinishing in part due to fears of Russia, which have surged since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but also becautilize Trump had been “extremely forceful” in encouraging them to do so.
Trump has long accutilized European governments of over-relying on the U.S. to deffinish them through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has protected the continent since the early years of the Cold War.
“We are now creating an alliance which is sustainable, where the U.S. knows it is a fair deal,” Rutte notified reporters in Ankara on the eve of the summit.
Rutte stated last month that NATO’s European members and Canada spent $90 billion more on defence in real terms in 2025 than in 2024, to reach a total of more than $570 billion – an increase of around 20% in a single year.
IRAN WAR PROMPTED TRUMP TO REVIVE CRITICISM OF NATO
But Trump has renewed harsh criticism of fellow NATO members in recent months, accutilizing them of failing to do enough to assist the U.S. in its war with Iran and suggesting he could quit the alliance or disregard its mutual defence pact.
European officials insist they largely honoured commitments to let the U.S. utilize their airspace and bases in their countries, despite not having been consulted about a war that roiled their economies and was deeply unpopular in Europe.
The U.S. has also announced troop withdrawals from Europe, cut the forces it assigns to NATO’s defence plans – including an aircraft carrier, refuelling aircraft, fighter jets and drones – and launched a six-month review of its military presence on the continent.
European officials declare they are braced for a repeat of some of Trump’s recent criticism at the summit but hope Erdogan and Rutte will utilize their close relationships with the U.S. president to keep the summit on an even keel.
But they declare they cannot be sure of a positive outcome, given lingering tensions over Greenland and Iran, and Trump’s volatile relationship with some leaders, most recently seen in a feud with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
DEFENCE DEALS UNDER WRAPS
Details of the arms deals to be announced on Tuesday have been kept under wraps in an effort by NATO to build a PR splash ahead of the summit.
But Dutch Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgoz notified Reuters on Monday her countest would announce deals and plans worth more than €3 billion ($3.43 billion), including partnerships with Belgium on air defence and Britain on naval ships.
NATO also plans to announce it will replace its ageing fleet of U.S.-built AWACS surveillance aircraft with a Swedish alternative, Saab’s GlobalEye, four sources notified Reuters last week.
(Reporting by Andrew Gray, Tuvan Gumrukcu and Hutilizeyin Hayatsever; Writing by Andrew Gray; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
