NATO leaders, including US President Donald Trump, are set to endorse a draft declaration at their summit in Ankara on 7-8 July that reaffirms an “ironclad commitment” to collective defence under Article 5, according to a text approved by ambassadors and reviewed by Reuters. The declaration, which still requires final sign-off, also commits members to provide €70 billion in military assistance to Ukraine in 2026 and at least equivalent levels in 2027, and calls on Iran to respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and never acquire a nuclear weapon.

European officials, speaking anonymously, describe the alliance as “alive and kicking but a bit bruised” after a year of transatlantic friction. Viewed from Brussels, the summit is an opportunity to demonstrate that European allies and Canada are assuming greater responsibility for conventional defence, as NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has emphasised. Rutte noted that European members and Canada increased defence spending by $90 billion in 2025 to over $570 billion, and that the Ankara meeting would focus on converting extra spending into combat-ready capabilities and signing arms deals worth tens of billions of dollars. However, Trump’s pre-summit social media post calling the US relationship with NATO “ridiculous” and “not reciprocal” has underscored the persistent pressure from Washington for burden-shifting.

The gathering is the first since the US-Israeli war against Iran, which ruptured personal ties between Trump and several European leaders and prompted the US president to question the mutual defence pact. According to NATO officials, the vast majority of allies did allow the US to use their airspace and bases, but the war remains deeply unpopular in Europe. The US has also announced troop withdrawals from the continent, cut forces assigned to NATO defence plans, and launched a review of its military presence. In response, European governments are under pressure to meet the spending targets agreed at last year’s Hague summit: 3.5% of GDP on core defence by 2035, plus 1.5% on broader defence-related investments. Some capitals are encountering political difficulties in meeting these goals, and officials express frustration that industrial production is not scaling up fast enough to turn money into capabilities.

The summit will also feature a dedicated session on the alliance’s southern flank, with leaders from four Gulf Arab states invited under the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative. Turkish officials say Gulf developments will be a main topic. The draft declaration’s language on Iran and collective defence signals a temporary alignment, but European diplomats remain cautious, noting that a flare-up in the fragile Iran ceasefire or further Trump criticism could overshadow proceedings. The final declaration is expected to be adopted by leaders at the summit’s conclusion.