The 36th NATO summit, held at the “Bestepe“ Presidential Complex in the Turkish capital, became a historic turning point for the transformation of the Alliance.
Under the chairmanship of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Secretary General Mark Rutte, the leaders of the 32 member states drew a strategic roadmap in the conditions of a greatly changed global security architecture.
The forum was marked by serious American pressure, large-scale industrial agreements and key talks on the future of Ukraine, but there was also no shortage of open diplomatic disputes.
Main focus: “NATO 3.0“ and the transatlantic arms race
The central pillar of the talks was the need to reboot the organization under the title “NATO 3.0“, announced by the US administration. During the specialized Defense Industry Forum (NSDIF26), multinational arms deals worth over $50 billion.
- Massive orders: Canada announced a billion-dollar contract to buy up to 12 submarines from Germany, Britain invested in long-range missile systems, and NATO acquired new early warning aircraft from Saab.
- Redistributing the burden: European countries have confirmed their ambition to take on more responsibility, moving towards the goal of separating 5% of GDP for defense by 2035. Currently, most allies are already successfully maintaining levels around and above 4%.
Diplomatic Tensions Over Trump
US President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara with sharp criticism, stating that he is “deeply disappointed with NATO“.
The Iran rift: Trump criticized allies like France, Germany and Italy for not supporting US operations in the conflict with Iran.
The “Greenland“ case: The American leader once again sparked sparks in the wings, renewing his demands for control over the autonomous territory. An immediate response followed from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who categorically emphasized in Ankara that “Greenland is not for sale“.
Gesture to Erdogan: In stark contrast to the cool relations with Europe, Trump demonstrated excellent “chemistry“ with host Erdogan, promising to lift sanctions imposed on Turkey in 2020 and unblock the sale of F-35 fighter jets.
Decisions on Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was among the special guests in Ankara, called for an urgent acceleration of the production and delivery of air defense systems against Russian ballistic missiles.
As a direct result of the meeting, European allies and Canada committed to 70 billion euros for military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine in 2026. The financing will be provided through bilateral agreements and the EU's loan facility worth 60 billion euros. The United States has officially refused to participate in this particular financing package. In parallel, Norway, Germany, Canada and Denmark announced a joint order for new Patriot missiles directly from the United States.
Bulgarian participation
Bulgaria was represented at the forum by Prime Minister Rumen Radev. Within the framework of the industrial panels, it was emphasized that the Bulgarian defense industry has the capacity to become a key element of the supply chain and logistics of NATO's southern flank.
The meeting in Ankara ended with the adoption of a joint declaration, reaffirming the long-term focus on industrial deterrence, security in the Black Sea region and preparations for the next major summit forum in 2027 in Tirana.