What will NATO decide at Ankara summit?

NATO, defined as both a political and military alliance, hinges on "political will and solidarity" to fulfill its founding purpose. Decisions within the alliance are made through the unanimous consent of its 32 member countries, with consequences that extend globally. While members voluntarily contribute military forces for operations, Article 5, the principle that an attack on one is an attack on all, remains the cornerstone, invoked only once after the September 11th attacks.

Türkiye is set to host the NATO summit in Ankara, marking the second time it has hosted such a high-level meeting. Expectations are high, with many anticipating the Ankara summit to be among the most critical in NATO's history. The alliance has a history of adopting new concepts that redefine its role, particularly after major geopolitical shifts like the end of the Cold War, the 9/11 attacks, and Russia's annexation of Crimea and subsequent invasion of Ukraine.

The core agenda for the Ankara Summit will revolve around defining what the alliance will defend, how it will do so, and how resources and responsibilities will be shared. Recent discussions highlight that simply increasing defense spending does not guarantee strategic outcomes or necessarily contribute to collective defense. The emphasis is shifting towards ensuring that alliance solidarity is underpinned by strong political will, preventing individual arms races from undermining the collective defense concept.