Ankara saw an ugly, messy spectacle, but also a defensive victory for NATO

The NATO summit in Ankara was marked by a tumultuous and messy display, yet it concluded as a form of defensive victory for the alliance. U.S. President Donald Trump dominated headlines with sharp criticisms of allies regarding defense spending and their commitment to NATO.

Trump accused allies of insufficient support and even brought up his desire to acquire Greenland from Denmark. He also criticized Spain's defense expenditures. However, following the summit, Trump made an abrupt U-turn in a press conference, describing "tremendous love" and "tremendous unity" in the room and stating that allies were "doing a lot of good for their countries." He expressed relative confidence in the development of defense spending, with only minor criticisms heard.

From a tangible perspective, NATO announced substantial defense industry contracts and a commitment of 50 billion euros in new investments for NATO and European defense. These investments are crucial for developing capabilities, particularly in areas where Europe has historically relied on the United States, such as air transport and refueling. This development is occurring irrespective of Trump's contentious remarks, though the timing of the announcement may have been intended to appease him.

Europe is steadily enhancing its capacity for self-defense as the United States gradually shifts its focus away from the continent. However, the pace of developing military capabilities is slow, raising concerns about Europe's preparedness should the U.S. make sudden changes to its European defense commitments. Trump's actions are closely monitored, and the absence of major surprises from Ankara was seen as a positive outcome. For now, the U.S. remains committed to NATO's work, and Trump's statements in Ankara did not explicitly contradict this, which is considered a reasonable result in the current climate. Nevertheless, unpredictable shifts cannot be ruled out as long as U.S.-European relations remain strained.

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