NATO summit opens in Ankara as new defence deals fuel militarisation concerns

NATO leaders gathered in Ankara for a summit focused on bolstering defense capabilities and industrial cooperation. The event featured a Defence Industry Forum, where significant initiatives were unveiled to accelerate weapons production and procurement. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte launched the Drone Edge Initiative, pledging more than $40 billion over five years to enhance counter-drone technology. A new Front Door platform was also introduced to streamline access for private defense companies to alliance contracts.

Further initiatives included a $2.8-billion industrial cooperation program enabling U.S. defense firms like Lockheed Martin to partner with European companies for local production of weapons such as Abrams tanks and ATACMS missiles. Several allies, including Turkey, also initiated joint procurement efforts to expand NATO's fleets of strategic transport and aerial refueling aircraft. Turkey additionally announced plans to contribute two domestically produced observation satellites to bolster NATO's space capabilities.

The summit's focus on increased defense spending, with Rutte urging allies to reach 5% of GDP by 2035, comes amid U.S. pressure for European members to assume a greater share of the alliance's defense burden. However, these efforts have met with strong public dissent in Turkey. Anti-NATO rallies, involving students, socialist groups, and lawmakers, took place in Ankara, protesting the alliance's expanding defense budgets. Similar large-scale demonstrations occurred over the weekend in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, with thousands denouncing the prioritization of military spending over public welfare.

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member states would commit more than $40 billion to the sector over the next five years.