Trump meets Zelenskyy and Syrian leader at NATO summit amid Ukraine Patriot missile shortage
U.S. President Donald Trump held bilateral talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the final day of the NATO summit, as allies discussed defense spending and Ukraine's urgent need for Patriot missiles.
President Donald Trump attended the final day of the NATO summit in Ankara, joining leaders for a plenary session before meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The agenda focused on collective defense, implementation of higher defense-spending targets and continued support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion.
Ukraine has warned that its stock of Patriot interceptor missiles is critically low, saying recent Russian ballistic missile attacks could not be intercepted due to the shortage. Kyiv has asked partner nations to transfer missiles from existing inventories while production catches up, and it has secured European financing for additional Patriot rounds that are not expected until later years.
During a separate bilateral meeting on Tuesday, Trump announced the United States would lift sanctions on Turkey and indicated readiness to proceed with the sale of F-35 fighter jets, reversing previous opposition linked to Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 systems.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte urged member states to present concrete plans to meet the alliance's 2025 goal of spending 5% of GDP on defense, emphasizing the need to accelerate production of weapons and infrastructure. Trump is slated to conclude the summit with a press conference outlining U.S. priorities before returning to Washington.
