Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Kitchen & Dining Tech Style & Beauty Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Amazon Prime Day Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsWorldZelenskyy, wary allies await Donald Trump at NATO summit in TurkeyTies between Washington and the organization have worsened since the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran on Feb. 28Author of the article: You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.U.S. President Donald will meet with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies during the first-ever NATO summit in Turkey this week. Photo by Andrew Harnik /Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a NATO summit in Turkey on Wednesday that will be charged with tension over the U.S. leader’s views on Greenland, European defence spending and the Iran war.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorTrump arrives in Turkey on Tuesday, when he will meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before a summit with the full defence alliance the next day, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said.Trump, who has had an up-and-down relationship with Zelenskyy, had pledged as a presidential candidate to end Russia’s war with Ukraine within a day once he returned to office. He has been frustrated by an inability to do that.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againEuropean leaders, who Trump has criticized over tepid support for his war with Iran, have called for new U.S. and European efforts to support new peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. The White House has been preoccupied for months with the conflict in Iran, leaving U.S.-brokered talks between Kyiv and Moscow stalled.Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday about Ukraine and the upcoming summit, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said.Ukraine has increasingly targeted sites deep inside Russia with long-range drones and missiles, showing strength against its much larger opponent, but a U.S. official told reporters on Sunday the administration still viewed the conflict as one in which neither side was making much progress. Trump will speak to Zelenskyy about trying to end the war, the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told reporters on a conference call. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with U.S. President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec. 28, 2025. Photo by Jim Watson/AFP via Getty ImagesTies between Washington and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization — rarely warm under Trump — have worsened since the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran on Feb. 28. The conflict sparked a global energy crisis, with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz halting oil and gas shipments. U.S. allies, who were not consulted ahead of the strikes, grappled with the fallout.Trump has lashed out at several NATO members who declined to allow the U.S. to use military bases to carry out early strikes and for failing to help the U.S. reopen the strait. The president has also berated partners for not raising their defence spending to 5 percent of GDP and repeatedly questioned whether the U.S. is getting enough from its allies.“President Trump expects all allies to step up immediately and not only get on a sustainable path to the five per cent, but get to five per cent as soon as possible,” U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker told reporters on the conference call, calling an increase in European defence spending “really crucial.”The U.S. has rattled allies in recent months with shifting announcements about pulling troops and resources from Europe. The U.S. has said it will withdraw 5,000 troops from the continent and slash the military assets that Washington would provide in the event of a crisis.The president has also angered European nations with his aim to take over Greenland, which is part of NATO ally Denmark. The U.S. official said Trump still wanted to acquire the territory but was exploring other options in the face of European opposition to that plan.Late last month, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte tried to soothe tensions during a visit to Washington. Rutte made a hard sell for the alliance, praising Trump for pushing countries to boost their defence spending and insisting European allies were standing alongside Washington. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meet at the State Department in Washington, DC, on April 8, 2026. Rutte met with U.S. President Donald Trump later in the day at the White House. Photo by Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty ImagesThe U.S. president, who has had a warm relationship with Rutte, for his part, seemed largely unmoved, reiterating at one point that allies weren’t there for the U.S. Rutte, who once praised Trump as NATO’s “daddy,” has faced his own blowback in Europe from what some say has been a too-deferential approach to the U.S. president.Ahead of last month’s Group of Seven leaders’ summit, senior administration officials said the U.S. was happy with some of the burden-shifting of defence commitments to European countries, and is looking for more.Fears of Russia expanding its war beyond Ukraine to other parts of Europe has heightened tension throughout the continent.Putin has said he is willing to continue talks with U.S. envoys on ending the war, but has rejected a proposal to halt long-range strikes that have damaged both sides. The Kremlin has pushed maximalist demands for Ukrainian territory, including land Russia has failed to capture by force in a war now well into its fifth year.In June, Putin rejected an offer from Zelenskyy for face-to-face negotiations.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.