Trump Presses NATO Allies for 5% Spending, Orders Iran Strikes at Ankara Summit
Dutch NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte worked to keep President Donald Trump engaged as the alliance prepared for a summit in Ankara, focusing on higher defence spending, industrial cooperation and continued support for Ukraine, DW reported. European leaders then gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss how increased budgets would translate into capability and to consider the United States’ possible reduction of its role, CNBC noted. Trump arrived in Turkey and, on the summit’s opening day, held a press conference in which he urged all NATO members to reach a defence-spending target of 5 % of gross domestic product, CBS News said. He reiterated the demand while NATO officials sought to preserve alliance unity, NPR reported.
During the meeting, Trump ordered air attacks on Iran and cancelled a license for Iranian oil sales, AP News reported, prompting tension with allies over strategic priorities. On the summit’s final day he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, discussing Ukraine’s urgent need for Patriot missiles, Fox News noted. He also rebuked European partners for what he described as insufficient spending and limited support in the Iran conflict, The New York Times added.
