As leaders of the NATO military alliance gather in Ankara, Turkiye this week, it faces one of its most consequential summits in recent years, with questions over transatlantic unity, defense spending, support for Ukraine and Europe's growing security responsibilities expected to dominate the agenda.
The two-day summit, which runs until Wednesday, comes at a time of mounting geopolitical uncertainty. Growing divisions within NATO, differing positions on a range of issues, whether European allies will continue to align closely with the United States, and defense spending are all expected to remain key points of contention.
Just days ahead of the summit, US President Donald Trump has said it would be "ridiculous" for his country to maintain what he described as its "one-sided" approach to NATO, while his administration has announced plans to reduce some US military deployments in Europe.
The remarks have added to concerns that Washington is pushing Europe to take far greater responsibility for its own security.
Analysts like Janina Dill, professor of global security at the University of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government, said the summit reflects a much broader shift in Europe's strategic landscape, and Europe faces a historic turning point.
