WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump has departed for Ankara, where NATO leaders are gathering for what could become one of the alliance's most consequential summits in years -- not because it is expected to produce dramatic breakthroughs, but because it may define what NATO looks like after decades of overwhelming American military leadership.The July 7-8 summit comes as Washington openly prepares European allies for a gradual shift in US military posture on the continent, presses members to dramatically increase defense spending, and signals that Europe's security must increasingly become Europe's responsibility.Trump arrives carrying familiar complaints that many allies continue to benefit from American protection without contributing enough themselves.But behind the public rhetoric lies a far more profound debate over NATO's future: how to rebalance the alliance without weakening its deterrence against Russia.
Senior US officials confirmed ahead of the summit that the Pentagon's ongoing force posture review in Europe could result in reductions of American forces stationed across the continent.“There should be no surprise that we're doing a posture review," one senior official said. "That posture review very well may lead to us adjusting our posture because we're trying to shift burden to Europe.”Another senior official told RFE/RL on July 6 that the review reflects "global demands" on US forces and insisted any troop adjustments would be driven by strategic rather than political considerations.A Summit Measuring Europe's ReadinessFor the Trump administration, Ankara is less about declarations than scorecards. The White House wants evidence that European allies are translating promises into military capability.
