On 8 July, the NATO Leaders' Summit in Ankara, the capital of Türkiye, concluded after a two-day programme. The Summit Declaration reaffirmed an "ironclad commitment" to collective defence under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. At a time when the US is stepping back from European defence in NATO for Europe to assume more responsibility, the Declaration stated that "European Allies and Canada are assuming greater responsibility for the Alliance’s defence."
During a press conference at the conclusion of the Summit, NATO Secretary General Rutte delivered a message of solidarity, saying, "The Alliance is stronger than ever, an Alliance that is united and ready to defend every inch of our territory." Amid Trump's continued criticisms of NATO, the Summit was marked by a display of unity among the Alliance's 32 member states.
The leaders reached a consensus on six commitments in the declaration. The declaration is thought to be intentionally limited in scope to avoid drawing greater attention to the divergences between Europe and the US. The declaration of the previous year's Summit outlined five commitments.
This year's declaration recognised Russia as a "long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security and stability" and emphasised that NATO stands "united in its unwavering support" for Ukraine in defending the country's freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Moreover, Ukraine is pledged to receive €70 billion (roughly JP¥13 trillion) in support this year and a similar amount the following year.
Addressing the Iran issue, the declaration noted, "Allies reiterate that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon and call on Iran to fully respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."
On the same day, NATO Leaders also held extensive talks regarding defence spending. Last year's Summit agreed on the target of increasing defence spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035, with 1.5% of that target allocated to cover broader defence-related expenditures such as infrastructure investments. The leaders also outlined their plans for reaching this target at the meeting.
Prior to the meeting, US President Trump spoke with NATO Secretary General Rutte and voiced his criticism of some allied countries. Referring to the US-Israeli military operations against Iran, "They were unwilling to help us. I am not happy with them," Trump said, pointing at the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.
Trump also touched on Greenland, the autonomous territory of the NATO Ally Denmark. "We need it for the protection of the world, not just the United States," Trump said, reiterating his longstanding position that Greenland should be annexed into the US. On 7 July, Trump formerly said the US "could remove all of its soldiers out of Europe" in the event that Allies fail to meet demands such as increasing defence spending.