President Donald Trump is concluding the final day of the NATO summit as alliance leaders aim to show unity on defense spending, support for Ukraine, and the future of transatlantic security. The summit, taking place after several significant announcements and meetings, features a full agenda for Trump.
On Wednesday, Trump will join fellow NATO leaders for the summit’s only plenary session. He plans to hold bilateral meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The day will end with a press conference before Trump departs Ankara, Turkey, heading back to Washington.
Trump’s meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan led to the announcement that the United States will lift sanctions on Turkey. Trump stated, “We don’t sanction friends,” and indicated a willingness to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, despite previous U.S. opposition due to Turkey’s purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.
The summit’s final discussions will focus on strengthening collective defense, with members committing to higher defense spending and coordinating support for Ukraine. This comes over four years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine escalated.
One of the key events is Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy. Ukraine is urging NATO allies for more military aid and air defense support. Ukrainian officials warn they are running low on Patriot interceptor missiles. These missiles are crucial against Russia’s ballistic missile attacks. Kyiv has requested partner nations to transfer Patriot interceptors from existing stocks while new production ramps up. Some European support has been secured with German-financed Patriot missiles, though many deliveries remain months or years away.
Additionally, Trump plans to meet with Syrian President al-Sharaa. Syria’s push for engagement with Washington signals a shift in the Middle Eastern security landscape, opening doors for greater U.S.-Turkish cooperation.
During the summit, discussions also center on achieving NATO’s 2025 target—allocating 5% of GDP to defense and related investments. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has called for “clear, concrete and credible plans” from member nations to meet this target. Accelerating production of weapons and military infrastructure remains essential to deter Russia.
These conversations follow Trump’s criticism of European allies. He questioned their contributions to NATO and suggested a possible withdrawal of U.S. troops from Europe. “With all the money we spend to help them with Russia… we don’t have to spend any money. We could remove all of our soldiers out of Europe,” Trump remarked, highlighting the U.S.’s security investment versus Europe’s perceived lack of reciprocity.
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