NATO Summit Opens in Turkey as Trump Considers Restoring Turkey's F-35 Access

Leaders from NATO's 32 member countries convened in Ankara, Turkey, for a two-day summit amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and U.S. demands for increased defense spending. Central to the discussions is U.S. President Donald Trump's call for NATO members to raise their defense budgets to 5% of GDP, accelerating previous commitments to share the security burden more equitably.

Simultaneously, reports from The New York Times reveal that Trump is contemplating reinstating Turkey into the F-35 fighter jet program, allowing Ankara to purchase the advanced aircraft. Turkey was removed from the program in 2019 after acquiring the Russian S-400 air defense system. This potential move faces strong opposition in the U.S. Congress, which is critical of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's policies.

The summit occurs during heightened tensions between the U.S. and European allies, with Trump criticizing European countries for underfunding NATO and expressing dissatisfaction over issues such as Denmark's Greenland dispute and European refusal to permit U.S. strikes against Iran from their territories. The White House is also reportedly considering reducing American military presence in Europe, including cutting a third of F-15 and F-16 aircraft assigned to continental defense.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that countries failing to increase defense spending might face reductions in U.S. forces stationed on their soil. Ahead of the summit, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, emphasized the goal of Europe taking greater responsibility for its conventional defense while maintaining U.S. support.

The war in Ukraine dominates the agenda, especially following a recent large-scale Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv that caused casualties. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, attending the summit, is expected to urge NATO members for increased military aid, particularly air defense systems. Trump has held separate calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, discussing the conflict and potential resolutions. A bilateral meeting between Trump and Zelensky is scheduled for Wednesday in Ankara, focusing international attention on the future of U.S. support and diplomatic efforts to end the war.