The NATO summit starting today in Ankara is the focus of attention of the world press, BTA reported. Here is what some of the leading media outlets are writing:
Great Britain
The British newspaper “Daily Telegraph“ gives specifics on how the allies will fill the gaps left by the withdrawal of US forces: creating precision strike weapons. According to the publication, Britain is expected to lead a European project to develop a new long-range missile and will end NATO's dependence on American weapons. “The coalition for deep precision strike“ will be presented as one of the first steps towards creating a European pillar of NATO, diplomats and officials told the Telegraph. The project will be announced on the sidelines of the Ankara summit. The outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to pledge to create “a more European NATO than ever, ready to support Ukraine and confront the long-term threat posed by an increasingly reckless and dangerous Russia.” The scheme has gained momentum in recent weeks, partly because of Trump’s decision to scrap a Biden-era plan to station a battalion equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany to give Europe the ability to strike targets in Russia. Details of the specifications of any missile that could be produced will be specified at a later date.
V. „Guardian“ notes that Starmer and other international leaders will focus on “building a stronger and more European NATO“ as they try to address the concerns of the US president in the Turkish capital, where he is expected to note that “some allies are doing more than others“, and that they are not making more progress on the target of spending 3.5% of GDP on defense by 2035. The meeting in Ankara, which is expected to be Starmer's last international trip as prime minister, may be his last chance to repair relations with Trump after disagreements over the war with Iran. The publication notes that the European allies gathered in Ankara will explain to Trump how spending promises will be turned into action and that “fairer burden sharing“ will be achieved.
According to the British newspaper “Independent“ Trump is right to raise the question of how much Europe is contributing to its own defence. The newspaper says it is disappointing that Starmer, who has made such an encouraging and serious start to his duties, has yet to set a deadline for Britain to increase its defence contribution to 2.5% of national income. If NATO is to continue to play its central role in Western security, it will need more than solemn declarations and lofty speeches. This summit in Ankara is an opportunity, one of the relatively few, for Britain to demonstrate global leadership after Brexit. “Sir Keir should take advantage of it“, notes “The Independent“.
USA
“Europe is racing to plug security holes after the US withdrawal from NATO“, commented “The Wall Street Journal“. According to the publication, US allies are currently rushing to find workarounds and replacements for the weapons that Washington recently told other NATO members that they can no longer rely on in times of crisis. Filling all the holes left by the US withdrawal - including aerial refueling planes, which are in short supply, and long-range strategic bombers, which are only available to the US - is proving challenging for the alliance and risks leaving its European members exposed to growing threats from Russia. Currently, European NATO members say there are alternatives to the systems the US will withdraw, but concerns about weakening deterrence are growing.
In turn, the “Washington Post“ published an author's article on the topic by Donald Trump's national security advisor during his first term, John Bolton. According to him, there are currently real and pressing external threats to the Alliance's global interests, but the main threats to NATO's strength and resilience still come from within. Bolton notes that Trump still believes that the alliance is a fraud: “America protects Europe, Europe takes advantage and cheats, and America“ gets nothing out of it“. “So how should Secretary General Mark Rutte and NATO's supporters act at the Ankara meeting?“, the influential American politician asks. And he answers himself: “The main priority of Donald Trump's colleagues should be “do no harm“ - if nothing happens in Ankara, that would be a victory for the Alliance“. "If you're in doubt about what to say at a given moment, just smile and thank Trump," he urged European leaders.
Meanwhile, the New York Times noted the role of host Turkey, which, according to author Catherine Benhold, "now has a powerful military, a vibrant defense industry and a leader with a unique ability to charm Donald Trump." Global events over the past few years have presented Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with new opportunities - and suddenly Turkey seems increasingly vital to the alliance.
“When Erdogan welcomes NATO leaders to the Turkish capital Ankara today for a summit, he is a leader whose assets are seen as critical to NATO's future - and whose increasingly autocratic rule will be a problem to be solved only for another day,” the author noted. He will get some benefits. Trump administration officials have said they would like to sell Turkey advanced F-35 fighter jets, which Turkey was banned from buying after it acquired the Russian S-400 air defense system in 2019. But Erdogan can already claim a victory before the event even begins. Without him, Trump might not have agreed to attend.
“If it weren't for the fact that it was being hosted in Turkey by President Erdogan, I don't think I would have agreed,“ Trump recently told reporters in the Oval Office.
Furthermore, according to the “New York Times” NATO's willingness to work with Turkey has won Erdogan a key advantage: silence while he consolidates his domestic power.