US President Set for Meeting With Erdogan as NATO Leaders Gather in Turkey
US President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday to attend a NATO summit focused on defence spending and regional security challenges.
Trump was welcomed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan upon landing and is expected to hold bilateral talks with his Turkish counterpart before joining other world leaders for an official summit dinner ahead of Wednesday’s main session.
The summit comes as NATO allies seek to demonstrate increased defence commitments following last year’s pledge to raise security-related spending to five percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), The News Edition reports.
Ahead of the gathering, several member nations announced major defence and arms agreements worth billions of dollars, reflecting efforts to strengthen military capabilities and address concerns raised by Washington over burden-sharing within the alliance.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said member states are making progress in boosting defence budgets and taking greater responsibility for Europe’s security, particularly amid ongoing concerns over regional conflicts and Russia’s actions.
The two-day summit is expected to focus on defence cooperation, military spending, and broader security challenges facing the alliance.