·
·
Friday, 21 August 2026dailybeirut.com
World
NATO leaders plan to reveal arms deals worth tens of billions in Ankara before joining President Trump at the upcoming summit.
NATO leaders are set to unveil arms agreements valued in the tens of billions of dollars in Ankara on Tuesday, aiming to demonstrate their response to U.S. calls for increased defense spending in Europe. This announcement will precede their participation in a summit with President Donald Trump.
These European governments will disclose the deals during a NATO defense industries forum before President Trump meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and joins other alliance leaders at the summit, which will commence with a dinner on Tuesday evening.
On Monday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that European countries have made "huge" increases in defense expenditures, partly due to concerns about Russia. These concerns have intensified since Moscow launched its war on Kyiv in 2022. Additionally, Rutte noted that President Trump was "very firm" in urging European nations to boost their defense budgets.
Trump has repeatedly accused European governments of relying excessively on the United States for their defense through NATO, which has protected the continent since the early Cold War years.
Speaking to journalists in Ankara on the eve of the summit, Rutte said, "We are now building a sustainable alliance. The United States knows this is a fair deal."
Last month, Rutte reported that NATO’s European member states and Canada increased their defense spending by $90 billion in real terms in 2025 compared to 2024, bringing the total to over $570 billion—a near 20% rise within a single year.
In recent months, Trump has renewed sharp criticism of other alliance members, accusing them of insufficient support for the U.S. in its conflict with Iran. He has hinted at possibly withdrawing from NATO or disregarding the mutual defense pact.
European officials assert that they have largely fulfilled commitments allowing the U.S. to use their airspace and military bases, despite Washington not consulting them on the war, which has negatively impacted their economies and is unpopular in Europe.
The United States has announced troop withdrawals from Europe and reduced forces allocated to NATO defense plans, including an aircraft carrier, refueling planes, fighter jets, and drones. It has also initiated a six-month review of its military presence on the continent.
European officials acknowledge the possibility that Trump may repeat some of his recent criticisms during the summit but hope that Erdoğan and Rutte will leverage their close relationships with the U.S. president to maintain a calm atmosphere.
However, they concede that a positive outcome cannot be guaranteed amid ongoing tensions over Greenland and Iran, as well as Trump’s volatile relations with some leaders, exemplified by his recent dispute with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
