President Donald Trump will meet with NATO leaders in Turkey this week to enforce the defense spending pledges made by the alliance last year. Trump has been a vocal advocate for increased defense spending by NATO countries, and his administration has made it a priority to ensure that all member countries are meeting their commitments.

NATO Spending Pledges

Last year, NATO countries agreed to spend 5% of their annual gross domestic product on defense over the next decade. The pledge was made in response to Trump’s demands for increased spending, and it is seen as a key test of the alliance’s commitment to its own defense.

Trump’s team has been making the case for what it calls ‘NATO 3.0,’ which envisions an alliance that has Europe taking on more of its security needs, allowing the U.S. to shift its focus elsewhere. The strategy was outlined by Elbridge Colby, a U.S. undersecretary of defense, earlier this year.

Meetings and Discussions

Trump will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing conflict with Russia. He will also meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the host of the summit, and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

The summit comes as Trump’s administration makes the case for increased defense spending by NATO countries. The U.S. president has been critical of NATO countries that have not met their spending commitments, and he has threatened to reduce U.S. support for the alliance if they do not increase their spending.

Original reporting: KTSA News/Talk (San Antonio) — read the source article.