NATO summit: Allies in Ankara for talks, defense deals Published July 7, 2026last updated July 7, 2026What you need to know - NATO leaders and key partners are holding talks in Ankara - The meeting is taking place to review progress made since the 2025 summit in The Hague - Last year's summit saw allies commit to increasing defense budgets from 2% of GDP to 5%, amid US pressure - Talks are taking place amid Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine and a fragile US-Iran ceasefire deal Below you can read a roundup of developments from the summit taking place in Turkey on Tuesday, July 7, and Wednesday, July 8. Tired of missing our real-time updates? Click here to add us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Then tap the "Star" or "Preferred" to keep DW News at the top of your feed. NATO chief boasts European spending ahead of key summit NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Monday projected optimism that European NATO allies and Canada are "on a trajectory to equalize their defense spending" with the United States, as President Donald Trump continues to lambaste allies for allegedly spending too little. Rutte said that "the evidence we see so far is impressive" with projections showing that allies will invest a combined $258 billion (€226 billion) more in defense in 2025 and 2026 than they have in previous years.

Read more about NATO's spending goals in this DW article. WATCH: NATO summit could boost Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey As NATO leaders meet in Ankara, Turkey's growing strategic importance is boosting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's influence. But does the country's key role in the alliance give Erdogan more room to maneuver at home?

NATO Summit 2026: What to expect Leaders of NATO's 32 members countries and key partners will meet to review progress made on commitments since the 2025 uummit in The Hague while also setting out a roadmap to continue delivering on NATO’s key objectives. On Tuesday, there will be a large-scale defense industry forum that will help allies tailor their budgets to align with defense capabilities while also improving cooperation with partners like South Korea. NATO foreign and defense ministers are also due to hold informal talks over dinner.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be attending the event as he seeks continued support and commitment from allies amid Russia's ongoing invasion. On Wednesday, NATO leaders will reconvene for talks focused on Europe taking on greater responsibility for its own defense as the US shifts its focus to the Pacific and other regions. Ahead of the summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that NATO allies, "along with partners from Ukraine, the EU, the Indo-Pacific and the Gulf will gather here in Ankara to ensure that NATO continues to deliver.

Allies have already shown that they’re stepping up in a big way." "We are stronger together, in NATO, with our partners, to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear," Rutte said in a post on X. Welcome to our coverage NATO allies are gathering in Turkey's capital, Ankara, for two days of talks on defense spending and arms procurement. Last year's summit in The Hague saw allies agree to a substantial hike in defense spending from 2% to 5% of GDP by 2035 amid pressure from US President Donald Trump.