The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) leaders are expected to announce arms agreements worth tens of billions of dollars in Ankara on Tuesday, underscoring their response to longstanding U.S. calls for greater European defence spending ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The announcements will be made during a NATO defence industry forum before Trump meets Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and later joins fellow alliance leaders for the summit, which opens with a dinner on Tuesday evening.
Speaking on Monday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said European nations had made “staggering” increases in defence spending, driven both by concerns over Russia following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and by Trump’s persistent pressure on allies. He noted that Trump had been “extremely forceful” in urging European countries to increase their military investments.
For years, Trump has criticised European governments for relying too heavily on the United States for security through the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which has safeguarded Europe since the early Cold War era.
“We are now creating an alliance which is sustainable, where the U.S. knows it is a fair deal,” Rutte told reporters in Ankara on the eve of the summit.
According to Rutte, NATO’s European members and Canada increased their combined defence spending by $90 billion in real terms in 2025 compared to the previous year, bringing total expenditure to more than $570 billion, an increase of about 20% in just one year.
Iran conflict reignites NATO tensions
Despite the spending increases, Trump has intensified his criticism of NATO allies in recent months, accusing them of providing insufficient support to the United States during its conflict with Iran. He has also suggested that Washington could withdraw from the alliance or ignore its mutual defence obligations.
European officials maintain that they largely fulfilled their commitments by allowing the U.S. access to their airspace and military bases, even though they were not consulted before the conflict, which significantly affected European economies and faced widespread public opposition across the continent.
READ ALSO: NATO Credibility Wavers Amid U.S. Tensions Russia’s Watchful Eye
Meanwhile, the United States has announced plans to reduce its military footprint in Europe, including troop withdrawals, scaling back forces allocated to NATO defence plans, such as an aircraft carrier, refuelling aircraft, fighter jets and drones, and launching a six-month review of its overall military presence in the region.
European officials are preparing for another round of criticism from Trump during the summit but hope that Erdogan and Rutte can leverage their close ties with the U.S. president to maintain a constructive atmosphere.
However, they remain cautious about the summit’s outcome due to unresolved disputes over Greenland and Iran, as well as Trump’s unpredictable relationships with several leaders, most recently highlighted by his dispute with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Major defence deals expected
NATO has kept details of Tuesday’s defence agreements confidential in a bid to maximise their impact ahead of the summit.
However, Dutch Defence Minister DilanYeşilgözz told newsmen on Monday that the Netherlands would unveil defence agreements and investment plans worth more than €3 billion ($3.43 billion). These include partnerships with Belgium on air defence and with Britain on naval ship projects.
