Ukraine is set to take centre stage at the NATO summit in Ankara, where allies will formally recognise the country not only as a recipient of Western support but as a contributor to the alliance’s security. The shift will come as part of a new multi-annual financial pledge, a showcase for Kyiv’s rapidly expanding defence industry and an invitation to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, to a dinner of NATO leaders on Tuesday evening.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. He is expected to leave Ankara with a new summit pledge in a declaration by allies to provide €70 billion in military assistance to Ukraine this year and again next year. The pledge was one of the remaining sticking points that diplomats hammered out on Friday during their third and final round of negotiations for the summit declaration to be endorsed by all 32 allies. Some countries, including Italy, initially opposed a two-year commitment, while others preferred avoiding a fixed financial target. The commitment will cover 31 allies, as the United States halted direct military donations to Ukraine after Donald Trump returned to office, and much of the funding has already been identified. The package includes the €30 billion the EU began providing to Ukraine this year through its Support Loan programme, with another €30 billion earmarked for 2027, as well as bilateral assistance already announced. Germany, for instance, has committed more than €11 billion in military support this year. Officials acknowledge, however, that additional funding will still be needed to reach the target.