LONDON: The main focus of the two-day NATO summit in Ankara this week was, overwhelmingly, the alliance’s renewed pledge of “unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” backed by additional military equipment and training.
There was also a renewal of the commitment made at the 2025 summit in The Hague, following sustained pressure from US President Donald Trump, that all members will invest 5 percent of their respective gross domestic product in defense by 2035.
The very large elephant in the room, however, was Iran — Turkiye’s eastern neighbor.
“I thought it was notable that the very short summit declaration included robust language on Iran,” said Luke Coffey, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, who was in Ankara for the summit.
A general view shows NATO leaders during the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkiye, on July 8, 2026. (AFP)
