Nato leaders face defence, spending and Ukraine challenges in Ankara

Nato leaders meeting in Ankara on 7-8 July will focus on defence, deterrence, burden-sharing, military spending and sustaining support for Ukraine amid evolving security challenges

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) leaders meeting in Ankara on 7–8 July will address critical alliance challenges. The primary focus is expected to remain fixed on the alliance's core mission: defence and deterrence. Here is a look at the main challenges facing Nato:

 

Keeping Trump in

  • One of their primary goals is to maintain unity and keep the United States (US) committed to the principle that an attack on one is an attack on all.

• Nato has faced two crises this year that have fuelled tensions: Donald Trump's demand for ownership of Greenland and his anger at Nato allies over their response to the Iran war.

 

Burden-shifting

  • The US has pushed European governments to take primary responsibility for the conventional defence of Europe and has decided to shrink the pool of its military capabilities available to Nato in a crisis.

 

Spending more 

• European members and Canada are under pressure to boost defence investment to strengthen deterrence and defence against Russia.

• Last year, the alliance pledged defence spending of 5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence and related measures within a decade.

• European allies and Canada increased defence spending by 20 per cent year-on-year in 2025 in real terms. However, many countries are starting to face political difficulties over higher defence spending.

 

Industry 

• A major challenge is turning money into new military capabilities within a short timeframe.

• Some officials have expressed frustration that production has not increased at the pace they had hoped and that it still takes years to fulfil some orders.

 

Russia-Ukraine conflict 

• While alliance officials say Russia is grappling with economic problems and Ukraine has strengthened its position, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte has said that nearly half of Russia's state budget is now dedicated to defence and that the alliance cannot be naïve about Moscow.

• While most European leaders say they are committed to continuing support for Kyiv, sustaining a high level of funding remains a challenge.