NATO leaders will gather in Ankara for a summit on Tuesday and Wednesday, amid pressure from the U.S. for Europe to step up defense spending. The summit will focus on progress towards defense spending targets, boosting defense industrial production, and implementing burden-shifting from the U.S. to Europe.
Key Issues to be Discussed
European leaders will aim to show the U.S. that they are delivering on a pledge made at a summit in The Hague last year to spend 5% of gross domestic product on defense and defense-related measures by 2035. NATO members are also expected to reaffirm support for Ukraine and pledge further assistance, including €70 billion in military equipment, assistance, and training for Ukraine.
The alliance will host a defense industry forum in Ankara, where deals worth tens of billions of dollars will be announced. Turkey will seek to highlight its growing defense industry capabilities and repeat its longstanding call for alliance members to lift all restrictions on defense trade within NATO.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
