NATO summit begins in Turkey as Trump pushes for more defense spending and ponders Greenland

NATO Summit Opens in Turkey Focused on Defense Spending Commitments

Washington — The North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit opened Tuesday in Ankara, Turkey, with President Trump scheduled to discuss the alliance's 2025 commitment that members invest 5 percent of gross domestic product on defense by 2035. The target, adopted at the prior summit in The Hague, replaced the previous 2 percent guideline. The United States currently allocates roughly 3 percent of GDP to defense.

Mr. Trump arrived in the Turkish capital shortly before 7 a.m. ET and met briefly with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Turkey has been a NATO member since 1952. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte held preparatory talks with Mr. Trump at the White House the previous month. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the Ankara meeting as one of the most significant in the alliance's history.

Defense Spending Targets

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker said on a preview call that the administration seeks to shift more responsibility for conventional defense of Europe to European allies and Canada. He noted that Poland, the Nordic countries, the Baltic states, and Germany are advancing toward the 5 percent level, with Germany projected to reach it in 2029. Other members remain below the trajectory required to meet the 2035 deadline.

The 2025 agreement established the 5 percent benchmark following discussions led by the United States. Whitaker stated that the United States continues to participate in NATO while redirecting resources to other regions. A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said national security and defense strategies explicitly prioritize this reallocation, allowing European allies to address regional threats directly.

U.S. Military Posture Adjustments

The Pentagon has announced plans to withdraw approximately 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany along with reductions in fighter jets, tanks, and related equipment. These changes form part of a posture review tied to the burden-sharing objectives outlined in the 2025 NATO commitment. The senior official said the adjustments reflect the expectation that more capable European forces will assume primary responsibility for threats within Europe, consistent with documents approved by alliance members.

Greenland Defense Arrangements

Greenland remains a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO member. The Trump administration has continued to examine options for strengthening defense coverage of the island. A senior U.S. official stated that acquisition by the United States is viewed as the most direct method to address identified gaps, while other mechanisms are also under discussion with Danish and Greenlandic authorities. Both Denmark and Greenland have stated opposition to any change in sovereignty. The official emphasized that all NATO allies agree on the strategic importance of Greenland's defense and differ only on the specific long-term arrangements.

Strait of Hormuz and Regional Developments

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has resumed under a 60-day memorandum of understanding reached last month between the United States and Iran. European countries, which import larger shares of Middle Eastern oil than the United States, have monitored the situation closely. U.S.-Iran discussions paused during observances following the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. President Trump stated that the United States would either reach an agreement or conclude operations, without specifying timelines.

Ukraine Discussions

President Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the margins of the summit. Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago. Mr. Trump has repeated that both Russia and Ukraine have expressed interest in reaching an agreement, though no resolution has been finalized. European NATO members are expected to raise ongoing security concerns during the meetings.

The summit agenda centers on implementation of the 5 percent defense investment target adopted in 2025, coordination of military posture changes already announced by the United States, and review of arrangements for Greenland and the Strait of Hormuz.