ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - European Allies and Canada are investing around 4% of their GDP in defence and security spending as NATO allies unveiled billions of dollars in new arms contracts at a summit in Ankara on Tuesday, amid assurances to the US over President Donald Trump’s past criticism of the alliance's security commitments.
The summit comes a year after NATO members pledged to put forward “concrete plans to meet NATO's new defense spending target of 5% of GDP on defense and security-related spending by 2035.” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said allies were "delivering" by signing “tens of billions of dollars in related new defense contracts” for drones, refuelling aircraft and surveillance systems.
“Just one year into a 10-year project, we see that European Allies and Canada are already investing around 4% of their GDP in defence and security,” said Secretary General Rutte.
The 2026 Ankara Summit is the second NATO summit hosted by Turkey, who is eager to play a role in Europe’s defense future. The 2026 NATO Summit agenda includes an agreement to increase defense production, cooperation, and joint procurement in order to generate stronger industrial deterrence for the Alliance, said Rutte.
"These changes require NATO Allies to reassess emerging threat perceptions and redefine their collective priorities. In this regard, the Ankara Summit represents another turning point in NATO’s historical evolution,” said the Turkish Presidency's Head of Communications on X hours before President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed President Trump at Ankara Airport.
The Summit comes as the US-Iran war, subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and negotiations regarding maritime transit have placed oil and energy exports and global defense strategy at the forefront of the international security agenda, as well as Washington’s overall role in the continent’s security framework.
Trump, however, criticized European allies ahead of the summit, accusing them of failing to adequately support the United States after some countries restricted the use of their bases during the recent conflict with Iran.
"Ridiculous for the U.S.A. to continue along this one-sided path when the relationship is not reciprocal. They were not there for us!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Despite the signing of the recent Pakistan-brokered ceasefire agreement and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Iran has continued to challenge control over the waterway and attack vessels it deems illegitimate transiting through the Strait.
Iran has attacked several tankers in recent weeks near the Strait of Hormuz, including Saudi and Qatari-owned vessels on Monday and Tuesday as President Trump issues new warnings to Iran.
European leaders are seeking to avoid tensions with Trump while demonstrating greater responsibility for the continent's defense.
France and Britain have proposed a potential naval mission in the Strait of Hormuz, although deployment will depend on US-Iran developments.
On a related note, OPEC plus members have agreed to increase production by 188,000 barrels per day in August, with Iraq agreeing to increase by 26,000 barrels, according to Iraqi Oil Ministry spokesman Salim Rukabi’s statements to Rudaw on Monday.
The increases in oil production, currently trading at $72 a barrel, are meant to restore stability to the oil market and forge alternate pathways for global energy security.
