The NATO summit, which began with uncertainty due to remarks from President Donald Trump, concluded without major disruptions. Trump mentioned trade issues with Spain, the Greenland situation, and the Iran conflict in public, but reportedly praised member countries' efforts to increase defense spending during private discussions.
According to Reuters and the Associated Press, NATO leaders reaffirmed the principles of collective defense and the commitment to increase defense budgets during the summit held in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8.
After the meeting, Trump told reporters, "There was a lot of unity, and there was tremendous love in that room."
Prior to the meeting, the atmosphere was tense. Trump raised concerns that Spain was not meeting NATO's defense spending guidelines and suggested the possibility of trade disruptions. He also reiterated the need for U.S. control over Greenland, which heightened worries among European leaders.
However, no public confrontations occurred during the private sessions. Attendees reported that Trump did not bring up the Greenland issue and acknowledged the contributions of member countries that met defense spending targets. European officials reacted positively, noting that Trump did not publicly threaten to withdraw from NATO.
Support for Ukraine was also highlighted as a significant outcome. Trump announced that he would allow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to produce U.S. Patriot missile defense systems. The Financial Times described this as one of the most notable achievements of the summit.
Nonetheless, it remains uncertain how long the friendly atmosphere will last. Trump's unpredictable remarks and potential changes in U.S. security policy toward Europe continue to pose challenges for NATO. The Wall Street Journal noted that while the summit reaffirmed alliance cohesion, it may take time for increased military spending in Europe to translate into actual military capabilities.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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