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Or sign-in if you have an account.U.S. President Donald Trump jets into Turkey for a NATO summit after lashing out at Europe over its response to his Iran war. Photo by Mandel NGAN /AFPNATO allies will showcase surging defence spending at a summit in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, on Tuesday as they hope to placate U.S. President Donald Trump after his fury over Europe’s response to the war with Iran.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 AccountorThe two-day gathering at Turkey’s sprawling presidential palace comes a year after NATO members pledged to ramp up security-related spending to five per cent of GDP under pressure from the U.S. leader.NATO chief Mark Rutte insists European countries are “delivering” on their promise by bolstering military budgets and moving to take more responsibility for the defence of their continent in the face of Russia.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 again“Just one year later, we already see transformational progress,” Rutte told journalists in Ankara on the eve of the summit.In a bid to impress Trump, NATO has lined up a series of headline-grabbing figures.“This is showtime,” a senior European diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity.At an industry forum on Tuesday ahead of the main summit, leaders are set to unveil new arms deals worth tens of billions to show Trump they’re delivering on their words.Underscoring that push, Canada announced on Monday that it had selected Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems to build its new fleet of submarines, a multi-billion-dollar programme Ottawa framed as part of a broader effort to deepen defence ties with European NATO allies. Prime Minister Mark Carney was at the HMC Dockyard in Halifax on Monday to announce the procurement for up to 12 submarines from TKMS in Germany.TIM KROCHAK PHOTO Photo by Tim Krochack/PostmediaBut Trump — still smarting after European countries imposed restrictions on U.S. forces using bases to attack Iran — has spent the run-up to the summit slamming allies for not moving fast enough for his liking.“Ridiculous for the U.S.A. to continue along this one-sided path when the relationship is not reciprocal. They were not there for us!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social last week.‘Real shift’European leaders are aiming at least to avoid a bust-up with the mercurial U.S. leader that could deal a further blow to NATO’s credibility after Trump repeatedly cast doubt on the U.S. commitment to protecting its allies.Diplomats are banking on Trump’s good relationship with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and an unstinting charm offensive by NATO chief Rutte to keep his mood in check.But with Trump having had fallings out with a string of other leaders — most recently Italy’s Giorgia Meloni — there are plenty of irritants that could ignite his anger.Seeking to show willingness on Iran, European allies spearheaded by France and Britain have put together a potential naval mission to help in the Strait of Hormuz and countries have shifted vessels closer to the region to be ready.But the situation remains volatile and the Europeans want clarity on how a fragile U.S. deal with Iran is panning out before sending in their navies.While they’ll be hoping that Trump strikes a conciliatory tone, European leaders have begun to come to terms with the reality that the U.S. is inexorably pulling back from their alliance.Washington has been clear it wants its allies to take the lead on the conventional defence of the continent and recently announced it was cutting back the assets it makes available to NATO commanders.European nations will look to prove they’re ready to play a greater role while also trying to keep Trump, and the vast might of the U.S. military, as engaged as possible.“All of this is evidence of a real shift in mindset,” Rutte said. “This is NATO 3.0. A stronger Europe in a stronger NATO.”‘Strong decisions’Beyond taking greater responsibility for their own defence, European countries have also taken over the support of Ukraine almost entirely as Trump has wound back U.S. aid.President Volodymyr Zelensky — who will attend the leaders’ dinner on Tuesday — will score a commitment from his European backers at NATO to keep at least 70 billion euros (US$80 billion) of military aid flowing to Kyiv each year in both 2026 and 2027.Zelensky — who is set to hold talks with Trump at the Ankara summit — urged the alliance to take “strong decisions” on boosting Ukraine’s air defences after a devastating Russian blitz killed nearly 30 people.The Ukrainian leader will look to convince Trump — who held a phone call with Russia’s Vladimir Putin ahead of the gathering — that Kyiv is turning the tide in the war and that he should pressure Moscow back into serious peace negotiations.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. 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