meets fellow NATO leaders at a summit on Tuesday as the alliance tries to persuade him that their countries are actively increasing their military capabilities while the American focus shifts away from defending Europe.
Trump has been critical of NATO’s abilities to function without American leadership and power, moving to withdraw U.S. troops from Europe and casting doubt on whether the U.S. would come to the aid of a NATO ally under attack. He remains disappointed at some NATO allies鈥� refusal to join he launched alongside Israel without consulting them.
The in Ankara, Turkey, will showcase a series of military projects worth billions of dollars in an attempt to persuade Trump they are making a stronger Europe for a stronger NATO.
The Latest:
NATO official dismisses fears of a Russian attack on alliance members
A senior NATO official speaking on the sidelines of the summit in Ankara Tuesday said that despite some 鈥渞eckless鈥� actions by Russia, including airspace violations over Poland, Romania and Estonia, he believes the alliance has been successful in deterring Russia from any potential attack on a member country.
鈥淚 see absolutely no indications whatsoever that Russia is interested in any sort of conflict with NATO,鈥� the official said.
He said Moscow is overstretched by its war in Ukraine and knows NATO would respond to any attack on a member.
鈥淚 would say now that Russia is deterred, but Russia is deterred because of the actions that we are taking,鈥� he said.
Rahm Emanuel will assail Netanyahu in Tel Aviv speech as American politics shift against Israel
While Trump is in Turkey demanding loyalty from NATO allies, a leading Democrat will be in Tel Aviv, directly accusing the president鈥檚 military partner of driving Israel into a 鈥渄ead end.鈥�
Potential presidential candidate Rahm Emanuel plans to denounce Prime Minister and call for an end to U.S. subsidies of Israel鈥檚 defense budget in a speech Wednesday at Tel Aviv University.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e lost Europe,鈥� Emanuel will say, according to remarks obtained by The Associated Press. Castigating Netanyahu for doing little to end the Iran war, he鈥檒l note that 鈥渟upport for Israel is plummeting around the world.鈥�
About 58% of Democrats now say the U.S. is 鈥渢oo supportive鈥� of Israel, according to by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, up from 45% in January 2024. Roughly half of Democrats believe Israel鈥檚 government has committed genocide against Palestinians during the war in Gaza, an accusation leveled by some human rights organizations and vehemently denied by Israel and the U.S. government.
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Trump says he thinks Russia-Ukraine war will be settled 鈥榟opefully soon鈥�
The U.S. leader was asked about his meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy scheduled for Wednesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit, and responded by saying he鈥檚 had great recent phone conversations with both the Ukrainian president and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
鈥淭hey both want to get it settled now,鈥� he said.
He added later that Erdogan is 鈥渉elping us get it settled.鈥�
Trump refreshes complaints against European allies
At his bilateral meeting with Erdogan, Trump said he was testing European allies when he asked for their help with the Iran war.
鈥淚taly turned us down and Germany turned us down and France turned us down,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 OK. But, you know, why are we spending hundreds of billions of dollars and they鈥檙e not there for us?鈥�
The complaint has been a central point of conflict between Trump and NATO, which he has described as a 鈥減aper tiger.”
Trump says he has great chemistry with Erdogan
As they sat down for a bilateral meeting, Trump showered praise on Erdogan, saying they have a 鈥渧ery special relationship鈥� that benefits both countries.
Asked about what makes their relationship so strong, Trump said there鈥檚 鈥渁 chemistry that works between us.鈥�
鈥淪ometimes you get along with the toughest people, like him,鈥� Trump said, gesturing to Erdogan. 鈥淪ometimes you don鈥檛 get along with the weakest, most pathetic people.鈥�
Trump says he鈥檚 going to consider selling F-35 jets to Turkey
The president was asked by a reporter as he met with Erdogan whether he鈥檒l allow the sale of the American fighter jets to Turkey, which had been banned from the program after purchasing Russian missile defense systems.
鈥淚t鈥檚 certainly something we will consider,鈥� Trump said as he sat with his Turkish counterpart.
He said that 鈥淭urkey has been in many ways much more loyal than other countries.鈥�
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly urged the U.S. not to sell the jets to Turkey, saying it would upset the balance of power in the Middle East.
Trump arrives at Erdogan鈥檚 presidential compound
The president was greeted by Erdogan and an honor guard flanking a turquoise carpet. Trump shook hands with Erdogan and patted his shoulder before they walked together toward the guard. The men paused and Trump saluted as the band began playing the Star Spangled Banner, accompanied by cannon fire.
They continued down the carpet toward the presidential compound as a flyover left a trail of red, white and blue in the sky.
Trump was scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Erdogan, a close ally who helped secure Trump鈥檚 presence at the two-day summit.
FIFA praises World Cup referee who Trump claimed was 鈥榮uspect鈥� after red card for Balogun
FIFA has defended the reputation of referee Raphael Claus in rare pushback on comments by for sending off Folarin Balogun.
Trump suggested on Monday at the White House, without elaborating, that the 46-year-old Brazilian referee was 鈥渁 little bit suspect if you check his past.鈥�
Trump by successfully intervening with FIFA to ensure the United States forward could despite his red-card penalty. FIFA praised Claus, now working at his second World Cup, in a statement published before the U.S. lost
鈥淭hroughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated the highest standards of professionalism and integrity,鈥� FIFA said, calling Claus 鈥渙ne of the world鈥檚 leading professional referees and a valued member鈥� of its team of World Cup match officials.
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Zelenskyy reiterates call for Ukraine to join NATO
Zelenskyy made a fresh appeal for Ukraine to be allowed to join NATO, saying that his country鈥檚 armed forces are highly experienced and resilient would only boost the alliance鈥檚 defense capabilities.
鈥淯kraine belongs in NATO,鈥� Zelenskyy said at a defense industry forum, near where NATO leaders were due to gather later on Tuesday.
Zelenskyy highlighted Ukraine鈥檚 adaptability and its ability to strike deep inside Russia, hit oil refineries and other energy targets. He said that Ukraine鈥檚 armed forces are 鈥渆liminating鈥� on average 30,000 Russian troops every month.
鈥淒o you believe it would be right to live outside NATO, a country and a people with this level of defense capability?鈥� he said.
Trump and Erdogan greet each other with arm squeezes
The Turkish leader was waiting on the blue carpet for Trump as he descended from Air Force One. They shook hands and Trump squeezed Edrogan鈥檚 shoulder.
Erdogan was wearing sunglasses as they posed for pictures in the bright sun.
He then tapped and squeezed Trump鈥檚 arms, and they walked the carpet together, inspecting the Turkish troops, with Erdogan gently guiding Trump by the arms at times.
They did not make comments to reporters, but Trump could be heard speaking to Erdogan and his wife about the new airplane he鈥檚 using as Air Force One.
Ukraine seeks continued funding in war
Another top agenda item is continued support to Ukraine, now in a fifth year of full-scale war with Russia. European allies and Canada are funding most of Ukraine鈥檚 needs, including paying for about 90% of the country鈥檚 air defenses.
With European countries fearing what Moscow鈥檚 territorial ambitions might lie beyond Ukraine, leaders have described Kyiv as a bulwark against Russian advances.
Trump is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday.
The Netherlands announces more and smarter defense spending
The Dutch defense ministry says it is investing together with the United Kingdom in new amphibious transport vessels and with other NATO allies in replacing aging AWACS surveillance planes.
The government announced the plans on the first day of the NATO summit in Ankara to underscore its commitment to ramping up defense spending.
The ministry says the Dutch also are playing a leading role in a European initiative to co-produce and maintain American arms such as Stinger, Amraam, and PAC-3 missiles.
Defense Minister Dilan Yesilg枚z-Zegerius says the Netherlands and European allies 鈥渁re investing much more in strengthening European defense鈥� with extra money 鈥渂ut also by working together smarter.鈥�
Trump arrives in Ankara
Trump arrived in Ankara Tuesday afternoon for the NATO summit, as the transatlantic military alliance was announcing billions in arms deals in an attempt to appease the mercurial U.S. leader.
The U.S. president was expected to head first to the presidential compound of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdo臒an, a close ally to Trump who is hosting this year鈥檚 gathering.
Just before Air Force One touched down in Ankara, NATO hosted a defense forum that spotlighted billions of dollars in military projects aimed at demonstrating to Trump that European allies are investing more of their own money in defense.
NATO summits are highly symbolic
The 32 member countries of the world鈥檚 biggest military alliance will underline their unshakeable commitment to each other鈥檚 security, although the transatlantic bond has rarely seemed shakier. Still, the meeting is being organized around the theme of a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO.
Trump insists on loyalty
Trump has repeatedly slammed NATO, arguing the U.S. carries more than its fair share of military spending.
His grievances have been louder since the Iran war, as he has fumed over the fact that some member countries restricted the use of their bases to U.S. forces during the war and have not helped to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Pressed last month on what key U.S. allies could do to get back on his good side, Trump responded, 鈥淛ust be loyal.鈥�
German leader wants 鈥榮ignal of strength and unity鈥� in Ankara
Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed before leaving Berlin that his country has doubled its defense spending since 2022.
He said that 鈥渨e are not making this effort to do anyone a favor; we are making this effort because it is necessary for our defense, for our security.鈥�
Merz said that 鈥淩ussia remains a serious threat鈥� and is 鈥渢esting our determination every day.鈥� He added that 鈥渋t is all the more important that we send a signal of strength and unity in Ankara.鈥�
Merz said: 鈥淭his summit should send the message that we are building a more European NATO so that NATO can remain trans-Atlantic.鈥�
Kremlin says it will keep a close watch of NATO summit
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow will closely watch the NATO summit in Ankara.
Asked about Ukraine urging its Western allies to deliver air defense assets, Peskov said that Kyiv鈥檚 push for more weapons wouldn鈥檛 prevent Russia from reaching the goals of what the Kremlin calls its 鈥渟pecial military operation.鈥�
Asked about the prospects for reaching a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, Peskov told reporters that 鈥渨e maintain contact with the Americans via working-level channels, and we hope that their efforts to steer the situation onto a peaceful track will ultimately succeed.鈥�
He reaffirmed that the hostilities could end once Kyiv 鈥渄emonstrates goodwill and shows a readiness to make those important decisions that need to be made.鈥�
Czech leaders divided over NATO spending
The bitterly divided leaders of the Czech Republic travelled separately to Turkey to attend the NATO summit on Tuesday.
Populist Prime Minister Andrej Babi拧 was flying with his Foreign Minister Petr Macinka and Defense Minister Jarom铆r Z暖na, while President Petr Pavel followed them separately later.
Babi拧 returned to power after his ANO, or YES, movement , forming a governing coalition whose agenda includes steering the country away from supporting Ukraine.
for this year falls short of a NATO target for defense spending (less than 1.8% of GDP), despite pressure from the United States and repeated complaints from the president.
Before his departure for Ankara on Tuesday, Babi拧 said the government would meet at least the minimum of 2% next year but no increase.
Unlike the government, Pavel, a retired army general, is a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its fight against the
The government originally refused to include Pavel in the delegation for the summit and did it it only after an intervention from the Constitutional Court.
Anti-NATO protestors detained in Ankara
Turkish police detained more than 20 protestors at a demonstration in central Ankara against the NATO summit.
Officers raised their riots shields to prevent media from filming and photographing the protest by supporters of left-wing political parties.
A legal association said 22 students affiliated with the Turkish Workers鈥� Party and three lawyers had been detained.
Turkish foreign minister says defense cooperation checks are liability
Hakan Fidan has warned against restrictions on defense industry cooperation among NATO members on the opening day of the alliance鈥檚 summit in Ankara.
In a social media post, he said trade barriers 鈥渦ndermine efficiency and slow response,鈥� adding that 鈥渢hese constraints have become strategic liabilities.鈥� The United States and several European countries have imposed restrictions on selling military and dual-use goods to Turkey in recent years.
鈥淓uropean defense initiatives must remain fully inclusive of all NATO Allies,鈥� Fidan said.
NATO unveils billions in arms deals to prove its firepower to Trump
NATO on Tuesday showcased a series of military projects worth billions of dollars in an attempt to persuade that U.S. allies are converting fresh into real firepower.
鈥淚t鈥檚 money well spent,鈥� an energized NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told government ministers and defense industry officials on the sidelines of a summit in Turkey. He was speaking at a defense industry forum billed as NATO鈥檚 鈥渂ig reveal,鈥� to the thrum of techno music and a slick video display.
Trump, who is slated to arrive in Ankara later Tuesday, has branded NATO a that would cease to function without American arms and leadership.
NATO as an organization does not own any weapons 鈥� these are the property of the 32 member countries 鈥� but it does have a fleet of 14 AWACS early warning radar surveillance planes that are about 50 years old, along with some newer surveillance drones.
A deal to replace the aging planes was announced Tuesday. Swedish manufacturer Saab will be supplying up to 10 new GlobalEye surveillance aircraft for a 10-nation consortium, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced.
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