WASHINGTON -- US Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker said Washington expects its alliance allies to demonstrate stronger alignment on defense spending, Ukraine support, and broader security challenges at next week’s summit in Ankara.Speaking to reporters on July 1, Whitaker signaled that tensions exposed by recent US military operations against Iran had eased within the alliance, even as he acknowledged disagreements over allied support during the campaign.“There is no doubt that the [US] President [Donald Trump] has expressed disappointment,” Whitaker said, referring to some allies’ reluctance to provide base access and overflight permissions during the operation, as well as critical political statements that followed.
But he added that the alliance had moved beyond that period of friction.“Those days are past us, thankfully,” he said, stressing that NATO members now better understand the importance of both political and military cohesion.The comments underscore how the Iran conflict, alongside the war in Ukraine, is shaping the agenda of the Ankara summit, where leaders are expected to focus on defense spending, industrial capacity, and the alliance’s role in an increasingly volatile Middle East.For the first time at a summit level, alliance leaders are scheduled to hold highly focused discussions on security challenges and political opportunities emanating from NATO’s southern flank.A special dedicated session will convene NATO leaders alongside representatives from four Gulf countries belonging to the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, a key alliance partnership mechanism.Turkish officials confirmed that the situation in the Gulf region will be "high up on our radar screen."In addition to discussing freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, alliance leaders are expected to use these dedicated sessions to conduct a comprehensive review of interconnected regional flashpoints, including Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank.Turkey Pushes Diplomacy, Wider Regional AgendaTurkish Deputy Foreign Minister Levent Gumrukcu, speaking separately at a policy forum organized by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy earlier this week, said Ankara would use the summit to press for stronger support for ongoing US-Iran diplomacy and wider regional stabilization efforts.Turkey, which has sought to position itself as a regional mediator, said it wanted NATO to focus not just on military risks but also political opportunities across the Middle East.Gumrukcu noted that Ankara hoped for a broader review of the region, describing the current situation as "highly fragile and volatile."Turkey has argued that its geography -- bordering conflict zones from Ukraine to Syria and Iran -- gives it a unique strategic role in helping NATO manage regional crises.Defense Spending And Burden SharingIn addition to Middle East security, Whitaker reiterated US expectations that all 32 NATO allies move toward a commitment to spend 5 percent of gross domestic product on defense, agreed at last year’s Hague summit.He said some allies -- including Poland, the Nordic countries, the Baltic states, and Germany -- were leading efforts to meet or approach that benchmark, while others were lagging behind or lacked a credible path to reach it.
