Ankara summit to test NATO unity amid transatlantic strains

BRUSSELS, July 6 — NATO leaders are set to gather in Ankara on Tuesday and Wednesday for a summit. However, divisions within the alliance over defense spending, policy toward Russia, Europe’s role in the bloc, and the southern flank are likely to shape the event’s outcome.

The summit, the first since NATO members committed to raising defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035, comes amid a profound reordering of the transatlantic alliance.

What is unfolding is not merely a debate over budget allocations but a fundamental realignment of the transatlantic security contract: The United States is reducing its defense footprint in Europe and expects its allies to shoulder a greater share of the burden. This shift carries significant implications for NATO’s military posture and political cohesion.

BURDEN-SHARING, BURDEN-SHIFTING