Ankara Summit 2026 Live | NATO Chief Mark Rutte Holds Press Conference | Istanbul Protest

Agenda for the summit here in Ankara. We are delivering on the commitments made in The Hague to invest in our defense. We will ensure that we are rebalancing for the better, fairly sharing responsibility for our shared security. We will turn cash into capabilities, joining forces with industry. And we will continue our robust support for Ukraine, reminding President Putin that we are firm in our commitment. Over the next two days, the 32 allies along partners from Ukraine, the European Union, the Indo-Pacific, and the Gulf will gather to ensure that NATO continues to deliver. Together we represent nearly two-thirds of the world's economy and we are coming together because we know that cooperation is key. We are stronger together in NATO with partners to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear. Thank you.

Well, let me say that I had a good visit last week with President Trump and we discussed the staggering increase in defense spending by Europeans and Canadians. And of course this is because of Putin and Russia and Ukraine but also because he, President Trump, has been extremely forceful encouraging us to do this. You could argue that he is the first president of the US since Eisenhower who was able to come to this situation where the Europeans and the Canadians will spend the same as the Americans. This equalization was a wish for 50, 60 years and now it's happening and I think in large part to his leadership. And we also discussed some of the disappointment he has, for example when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran more generally. And we also discussed the almost 5,000 sorties of planes taking off from European bases in support of Operation Prosperity Guardian. And only last Friday we have seen the French and the Brits coming together with the Omani to make sure that collectively they will defend the principle of the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an extremely important development only in the last 72 hours.

Well, I think what the message last night again was of how desperate Putin is because you guys, the Ukrainians, are doing well on the battlefield. When you look at, of course, this is terrible news for all the Russian families involved. Putin is willing to accept that up to 35,000 of his own, primarily men in uniform are getting killed on the battlefield, which is terrible news for the families. But of course, from a military point of perspective, important for Ukraine. You are successful there. You are hitting the Russian economy. You are hitting deep into Russia when it comes to energy infrastructure, when it comes to crucial defense industrial capacity of Russia. And you are able on the front line to prevent the Russians from making big advances like a couple of months ago where at least they made some progress on the front line. They are not doing that anymore. It is now more or less a stalemate. So what happened last night is an indiscriminate attack on innocent civilians, on infrastructure, cities in Ukraine, people getting killed. But this is not the way Russia can ever win this war. Of course it is terrible for the people involved and my thoughts and prayers are with them and the people in Kiev and other cities who have to go through this. But fact is that you guys are doing so much better over the last couple of months than only three or four months ago.

To the contrary. And your country, the United Kingdom, did exactly what needed to be done. And let me commend the British military for the actions they took. And that's part one of my reaction to your question. Part two is that it also shows the unprofessionalism of the Russians willing to do this so close to the ship. Of course that's reckless. It's unprofessional. And again, the UK armed forces did exactly what they needed to do. And this is evidence that we will defend ourselves.

On the second part of your question, no, because we have a very close cooperation with the IP4 including with Anthony, your prime minister, and the prime ministers and presidents of New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and Japan. I was just texting this afternoon with the Japanese defense minister about this latest development and I think it is evidence of the fact that we cannot be naive about China and you know this. And this is why we have this close cooperation because these theaters are getting more and more intertwined, connected. What happens in the Pacific is relevant to what is happening in the transatlantic and we see it also in the war with Ukraine where China, North Korea and Iran are key enablers of Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. So this again is evidence that we cannot be naive and I can assure you that we are honored.

I don't think so. And that's to your second part of your question, that's already happening. You see Europeans taking over commands in NATO when it comes to the real war fighting and the Americans will then make sure that when it comes to land, air and sea commands, they will take care of those. So there is already a clear distinction of labor where the Europeans are stepping up. We see the same when it comes to Ukraine. The US still providing crucial kit into Ukraine, defense industry output like interceptors, but paid for by the Europeans and Canada. And we see it on so many other fronts when you look at the mass of people in the forward land forces when it comes to Baltic Sentry, Eastern Sentry, Arctic Sentry, it is the Europeans and the Canadians providing the mass of the men and women in uniform there. So that's Europe and Canada stepping up. So that's already happening and the present structures accommodate for that. And when it comes to your first part of your question, the good news is with the $250 billion extra spend in '25 and '26, can you imagine $250 billion by the Canadians and the Europeans, that means that we have reached the max in terms of absorption capacity. Why? Because there is a limit to what you can spend extra in one or two years in terms of recruiting the men and women in uniform, making sure that the defense industrial base which is rapidly developing and turning out more output, but still of course there is a limit to what they can do in pumping up the output in one or two years. So I think we are in really good shape and massively the Europeans are stepping up. Look at countries like Germany and so many others. And of course if one or two still have to be convinced, we have ways to do that.

Let me say this when it comes to democracy, democracy is more than elections. Elections of course are crucial in democracy but democracy is also the free media. You in this room, that you can ask all the questions you want and write the pieces you want and do your research etc. And of course democracy is also for people to be able to organize demonstrations if they so choose. So it's much more than only free elections. And when it comes to the media, it is very important for NATO that media can attend major events in person.

Very important. Of course you were there almost since the beginning since 1952. So a couple of years after the start, Turkey joined NATO. You have one of the biggest armed forces in NATO, well trained and particularly the last five to 10 years, you have rapidly developed your defense industrial base. You have now about 3,000 companies every day turning out the kit, the defense industrial output, our men and women in uniform need to defend ourselves. So for all these reasons, Ankara, Istanbul, Turkey as a whole is really important and your place on the map is important. Your leadership in NATO is important and the fact that you organized this summit now, this NATO summit here in Ankara is evidence of that.

Has America's top Arab ally turned up the heat on Netanyahu as fresh tensions grip the Gulf region? Is Egypt drawing a firm red line for Israel while blaming Netanyahu for fueling the wider Gulf crisis? Has President el-Sisi publicly distanced Egypt from Israel? Committed to invest 5% of GDP in defense by 2035. And now just one year later, we already see transformational progress. Here in Ankara, I expect nations to present clear, concrete, and credible plans to reach that 5% goal. And the evidence we see so far is impressive. Just one year into a 10-year project, we see that European allies and Canada are already investing around 4% of their GDP in defense and security. This includes major increases to allies' investments in core defense as well as their defense and security related investments. Last year, European allies and Canada spent nearly 20% more on core defense than they had the year before. Looking at 2025 and 2026 combined, that's $258 billion in extra investment. And the trend continues. We will need more forces, more resources, and a much stronger industrial base. After years of underinvestment, we are producing real capabilities. European allies and Canada are now on a trajectory to equalize the defense spending with the United States. And not just that, they are taking on more leadership within NATO's command and control structure, stepping up on conventional defense, on efforts to bolster our deterrence and defense, including along the entire eastern flank in the Baltic region and the Arctic, and spearheading support to Ukraine. All of this is evidence of a real shift in mindset, a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO. The investment is there and now we need to ensure that we are translating our economic might into military capabilities, putting the cash to work from defense plans to drones, from money to missiles and interceptors. This means ensuring innovation is front and center, overcoming fragmented national defense industries and cutting red tape. The NATO summit defense industry forum which we'll host tomorrow will be the platform where we showcase how we are working with industry to deliver the capabilities that credible deterrence and defense demand. We will announce tens of billions in new contracts that will provide the crucial kit we need to deter and defend. And then our industries from Arkansas to Ankara combine their strengths and step up supply. The result is not only improved security. This will help grow our economies, spread innovation, and support hundreds of thousands of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. So, we are investing in our own security, ensuring we have what we need to safeguard our societies today and tomorrow, because the threats we face are real, including from Russia, which continues to wage war on Ukraine. Right now, Ukraine is changing the dynamics on the battlefield thanks to the bravery, the dedication and ingenuity of their armed forces, but they need our continued support, especially when it comes to air defense. Russia continues drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities with another horrific attack just last night. So, as Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty, allies and NATO partners must continue to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs. And let me be clear, all allies need to pull their weight so that our support to Ukraine continues to flow because Ukraine security is so closely linked with our own. So that's the overview of our agenda for the summit here in Ankara. We are delivering on the commitments made in The Hague to invest in our defense. We will ensure that we are rebalancing for the better, fairly sharing responsibility for our shared security. We will turn cash into capabilities, joining forces with industry. And we will continue our robust support for Ukraine, reminding President Putin that we are firm in our commitment. Over the next two days, the 32 allies along partners from Ukraine, European Union, the Indo-Pacific, and the Gulf will gather to ensure that NATO continues to deliver. Together we represent nearly two-thirds of the world's economy and we are coming together because we know that cooperation is key. We are stronger together in NATO with partners to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear. Thank you.

Well, let me say that I had a good visit last week with President Trump and we discussed the staggering increase in defense spending by Europeans and Canadians. And of course this is because of Putin and Russia and Ukraine but also because he, President Trump, has been extremely forceful encouraging us to do this. And you could argue that he is the first president of the US since Eisenhower who was able to come to this situation where the Europeans and the Canadians will spend the same as the Americans. This equalization was a wish for 50, 60 years and now it's happening and I think in large part to his leadership. And we also discussed some of the disappointment he has, for example when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran more generally. And we also discussed almost 5,000 sorties of planes taking off from European bases in support of Operation Prosperity Guardian. And only last Friday we have seen the French and the Brits coming together with the Omani to make sure that collectively they will defend the principle of the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an extremely important development only in the last 72 hours.

Well, I think what the message last night again was of how desperate Putin is because you guys, Ukrainians, are doing well on the battlefield. When you look, and of course this is terrible news for all the Russian families involved. Putin is willing to accept that up to 35,000 of his own, primarily men in uniform are getting killed on the battlefield which is terrible news for the families. But of course from a military point of perspective important for Ukraine. You are successful there. You are hitting the Russian economy. You are hitting deep into Russia when it comes to energy infrastructure, when it comes to crucial defense industrial capacity of Russia. And you are able on the front line to prevent the Russians from making big advances like a couple of months ago where at least they made some progress on the front line. They are not doing that anymore. It is now more or less a stalemate. So what happened last night is an indiscriminate attack on innocent civilians, on infrastructure, cities in Ukraine, people getting killed. But this is not the way Russia can ever win this war. Of course it is terrible for the people involved and my thoughts and prayers are with them and the people in Kiev and other cities who have to go through this. But fact is that you guys are doing so much better over the last couple of months than only three or four months ago.

To the contrary. And your country, the United Kingdom, did exactly what needed to be done. And let me commend the British military for the actions they took. And that's part one of my reaction to your question. Part two is that it also shows the unprofessionalism of the Russians willing to do this so close to this ship. Of course that's reckless. It's unprofessional. And again, the UK armed forces did exactly what they needed to do, and this is evidence that we will defend ourselves.

On the second part of your question, no, because we have a very close cooperation with the IP4 including with Anthony, your prime minister, and the prime ministers and presidents of New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and Japan. I was just texting this afternoon with the Japanese defense minister about this latest development and I think it is evidence of the fact that we cannot be naive about China and you know this. And this is why we have this close cooperation because these theaters are getting more and more intertwined, connected. What happens in the Pacific is relevant to what is happening in the transatlantic and we see it also in the war with Ukraine where China, North Korea and Iran are key enablers of Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. So this again is evidence that we cannot be naive and I can assure you that we are honored.

I don't think so. And that's to your second part of your question, that's already happening. You see Europeans taking over commands in NATO when it comes to the real war fighting and the Americans will then make sure that when it comes to land, air and sea commands, they will take care of those. So there is already a clear distinction of labor where the Europeans are stepping up. We see the same when it comes to Ukraine. The US still providing crucial kit into Ukraine, the defense industry, output like interceptors but paid for by the Europeans and Canada. And we see it on so many other fronts when you look at the mass of people in the forward land forces when it comes to Baltic Sentry, Eastern Sentry, Arctic Sentry, it is the Europeans and the Canadians providing the mass of the men and women in uniform there. So that's Europe and Canada stepping up. So that's already happening and the present structures accommodate for that. And when it comes to your first part of your question, the good news is with the $250 billion extra spend in '25 and '26, can you imagine $250 billion by the Canadians and the Europeans, that means that we have reached the max in terms of absorption capacity. Why? Because there is a limit to what you can spend extra in one or two years in terms of recruiting the men and women in uniform, making sure that the defense industrial base which is rapidly developing and turning out more output, but still of course there is a limit to what they can do in pumping up the output in one or two years. So I think we are in really good shape and massively the Europeans are stepping up. Look at countries like Germany and so many others. And of course if one or two still have to be convinced, we have ways to do that.

Let me say this when it comes to democracy, democracy is more than elections. Elections of course are crucial in democracy but democracy is also the free media. You in this room, that you can ask all the questions you want and write the pieces you want and do your research etc. And of course democracy is also for people to be able to organize demonstrations if they so choose. So it's much more than only free elections. And when it comes to the media, it is very important for NATO that media can attend major events in person.

Very important. Of course you were there almost since the beginning since 1952. So a couple of years after the start, Turkey joined NATO. You have one of the biggest armed forces in NATO, well trained and particularly the last five to 10 years, you have rapidly developed your defense industrial base. You have now about 3,000 companies every day turning out the kit, the defense industrial output, our men and women in uniform need to defend ourselves. So for all these reasons, Ankara, Istanbul, Turkey as a whole is really important and your place on the map is important. Your leadership in NATO is important and the fact that you organized this summit now, this NATO summit here in Ankara is evidence of that.

Committed to invest 5% of GDP in defense by 2035. And now just one year later, we already see transformational progress. Here in Ankara, I expect nations to present clear, concrete, and credible plans to reach that 5% goal. And the evidence we see so far is impressive. Just one year into a 10-year project, we see that European allies and Canada are already investing around 4% of their GDP in defense and security. This includes major increases to allies' investments in core defense as well as their defense and security related investments. Last year, European allies and Canada spent nearly 20% more on core defense than they had the year before. Looking at 2025 and 2026 combined, that's $258 billion in extra investments. And the trend continues. We will need more forces, more resources, and a much stronger industrial base. After years of underinvestment, we are producing real capabilities. European allies and Canada are now on a trajectory to equalize the defense spending with the United States. And not just that, they are taking on more leadership within NATO's command and control structure, stepping up on conventional defense, on efforts to bolster our deterrence and defense, including along the entire eastern flank in the Baltic region and the Arctic, and spearheading support to Ukraine. All of this is evidence of a real shift in mindset, a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO. The investment is there and now we need to ensure that we are translating our economic might into military capabilities, putting the cash to work from defense plans to drones, from money to missiles and interceptors. This means ensuring innovation is front and center, overcoming fragmented national defense industries and cutting red tape. The NATO summit defense industry forum which we'll host tomorrow will be the platform where we showcase how we are working with industry to deliver the capabilities that credible deterrence and defense demand. We will announce tens of billions in new contracts that will provide the crucial kit we need to deter and defend. And then our industries from Arkansas to Ankara combine their strengths and step up supply. The result is not only improved security. This will help grow our economies, spread innovation, and support hundreds of thousands of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. So, we are investing in our own security, ensuring we have what we need to safeguard our societies today and tomorrow, because the threats we face are real, including from Russia, which continues to wage war on Ukraine. Right now, Ukraine is changing the dynamics on the battlefield thanks to the bravery, the dedication and ingenuity of their armed forces, but they need our continued support, especially when it comes to air defense. Russia continues drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities with another horrific attack just last night. So, as Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty, allies and NATO partners must continue to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs. And let me be clear, all allies need to pull their weight so that our support to Ukraine continues to flow because Ukraine security is so closely linked with our own. So that's the overview of our agenda for the summit here in Ankara. We are delivering on the commitments made in The Hague to invest in our defense. We will ensure that we are rebalancing for the better, fairly sharing responsibility for our shared security. We will turn cash into capabilities, joining forces with industry. And we will continue our robust support for Ukraine, reminding President Putin that we are firm in our commitment. Over the next two days, the 32 allies along partners from Ukraine, European Union, the Indo-Pacific, and the Gulf will gather to ensure that NATO continues to deliver. Together we represent nearly two-thirds of the world's economy and we are coming together because we know that cooperation is key. We are stronger together in NATO with partners to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear. Thank you.

Well, let me say that I had a good visit last week with President Trump and we discussed the staggering increase in defense spending by Europeans and Canadians. And of course this is because of Putin and Russia and Ukraine but also because he, President Trump, has been extremely forceful encouraging us to do this. And you could argue that he is the first president of the US since Eisenhower who was able to come to this situation where the Europeans and the Canadians will spend the same as the Americans. This equalization was a wish for 50, 60 years and now it's happening and I think in large part to his leadership. And we also discussed some of the disappointment he has, for example when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran more generally. And we also discussed almost 5,000 sorties of planes taking off from European bases in support of Operation Prosperity Guardian. And only last Friday we have seen the French and the Brits coming together with the Omani to make sure that collectively they will defend the principle of the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an extremely important development only in the last 72 hours.

Well, I think what the message last night again was of how desperate Putin is because you guys, Ukrainians, are doing well on the battlefield. When you look, and of course this is terrible news for all the Russian families involved. Putin is willing to accept that up to 35,000 of his own, primarily men in uniform are getting killed on the battlefield which is terrible news for the families. But of course from a military point of perspective important for Ukraine. You are successful there. You are hitting the Russian economy. You are hitting deep into Russia when it comes to energy infrastructure, when it comes to crucial defense industrial capacity of Russia. And you are able on the front line to prevent the Russians from making big advances like a couple of months ago where at least they made some progress on the front line. They are not doing that anymore. It is now more or less of a stalemate. So what happened last night is an indiscriminate attack on innocent civilians, on infrastructure, cities in Ukraine, people getting killed. But this is not the way Russia can ever win this war. Of course it is terrible for the people involved and my thoughts and prayers are with them and the people in Kiev and other cities who have to go through this. But fact is that you guys are doing so much better over the last couple of months than only three or four months ago.

To the contrary, and your country, the United Kingdom, did exactly what needed to be done. And let me commend the British military for the actions they took. That's part one of my reaction to your question. Part two is that it also shows the unprofessionalism of the Russians willing to do this so close to this ship. Of course that's reckless. It's unprofessional. And again, the UK armed forces did exactly what they needed to do, and this is evidence that we will defend ourselves.

On the second part of your question, no, because we have a very close cooperation with the IP4 including with Anthony, your prime minister, and the prime ministers and presidents of New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and Japan. I was just texting this afternoon with the Japanese defense minister about this latest development and I think it is evidence of the fact that we cannot be naive about China and you know this. And this is why we have this close cooperation because these theaters are getting more and more intertwined, connected. What happens in the Pacific is relevant to what is happening in the transatlantic and we see it also in the war with Ukraine where China, North Korea and Iran are key enablers of Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. So this again is evidence that we cannot be naive and I can assure you that we are honored.

I don't think so. And that's to your second part of your question, that's already happening. You see Europeans taking over commands in NATO when it comes to the real war fighting and the Americans will then make sure that when it comes to land, air and sea commands, they will take care of those. So there is already a clear distinction of labor where the Europeans are stepping up. We see the same when it comes to Ukraine. The US still providing crucial kit into Ukraine, defense industry output like interceptors, but paid for by the Europeans and Canada. And we see it on so many other fronts when you look at the mass of people in the forward land forces when it comes to Baltic Sentry, Eastern Sentry, Arctic Sentry, it is the Europeans and the Canadians providing the mass of the men and women in uniform there. So that's Europe and Canada stepping up. So that's already happening and the present structures accommodate for that. And when it comes to your first part of your question, the good news is with the $250 billion extra spend in '25 and '26, can you imagine $250 billion by the Canadians and the Europeans, that means that we have reached the max in terms of absorption capacity. Why? Because there is a limit to what you can spend extra in one or two years in terms of recruiting the men and women in uniform, making sure that the defense industrial base which is rapidly developing and turning out more output, but still of course there is a limit to what they can do in bumping up the output in one or two years. So I think we are in really good shape and massively the Europeans are stepping up. Look at countries like Germany and so many others. And of course if one or two still have to be convinced, we have ways to do that.

Let me say this when it comes to democracy, democracy is more than elections. Elections of course are crucial in democracy but democracy is also the free media. You in this room, that you can ask all the questions you want and write the pieces you want and do your research etc. And of course democracy is also for people to be able to organize demonstrations if they so choose. So it's much more than only free elections. And when it comes to the media, it is very important for NATO that media can attend major events in person.

Very important. Of course you are there almost since the beginning since 1952 so a couple of years after the start Turkey joined NATO. You have one of the biggest armed forces in NATO, well trained and particularly the last five to 10 years, you have rapidly developed your defense industrial base. You have now about 3,000 companies every day turning out the kit, the defense industrial output, our men and women in uniform need to defend ourselves. So for all these reasons, Ankara, Istanbul, Turkey as a whole is really important and your place on the map is important. Your leadership in NATO is important and the fact that you organized this summit now, this NATO summit here in Ankara is evidence of that.

Committed to invest 5% of GDP in defense by 2035. And now just one year later, we already see transformational progress. Here in Ankara, I expect nations to present clear, concrete, and credible plans to reach that 5% goal. And the evidence we see so far is impressive. Just one year into a 10-year project, we see that European allies and Canada are already investing around 4% of their GDP in defense and security. This includes major increases to allies' investments in core defense as well as their defense and security related investments. Last year, European allies and Canada spent nearly 20% more on core defense than they had the year before. Looking at 2025 and 2026 combined, that's $258 billion in extra investment. And the trend continues. We will need more forces, more resources, and a much stronger industrial base. After years of underinvestment, we are producing real capabilities. European allies and Canada are now on a trajectory to equalize the defense spending with the United States. And not just that, they are taking on more leadership within NATO's command and control structure, stepping up on conventional defense, on efforts to bolster our deterrence and defense, including along the entire eastern flank in the Baltic region and the Arctic, and spearheading support to Ukraine. All of this is evidence of a real shift in mindset, a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO. The investment is there and now we need to ensure that we are translating our economic might into military capabilities, putting the cash to work from defense plans to drones, from money to missiles and interceptors. This means ensuring innovation is front and center, overcoming fragmented national defense industries and cutting red tape. The NATO summit defense industry forum which we'll host tomorrow will be the platform where we showcase how we are working with industry to deliver the capabilities that credible deterrence and defense demand. We will announce tens of billions in new contracts that will provide the crucial kit we need to deter and defend. And then our industries from Arkansas to Ankara combine their strengths and step up supply. The result is not only improved security. This will help grow our economies, spread innovation, and support hundreds of thousands of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. So, we are investing in our own security, ensuring we have what we need to safeguard our societies today and tomorrow, because the threats we face are real, including from Russia, which continues to wage war on Ukraine.

to wage war on Ukraine. Right now, Ukraine is changing the dynamics on the battlefield thanks to the bravery, the dedication and ingenuity of their armed forces, but they need our continued support, especially when it comes to air defense. Russia continues drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities with another horrific attack just last night. So, as Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty, allies and NATO partners must continue to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs. And let me be clear, all allies need to pull their weight so that our support to Ukraine continues to flow because Ukraine security is so closely linked with our own.

So that's the overview of our agenda for the summit here in Ankara. We are delivering on the commitments made in the Hague to invest in our defense. We will ensure that we are rebalancing for the better, fairly sharing responsibility for our shared security. We will turn cash into capabilities, joining forces with industry. And we will continue our robust support for Ukraine, reminding President Putin that we are firm in our commitment.

Over the next two days, the 32 allies along with partners from Ukraine, European Union, the Indo-Pacific, and the Gulf will gather to ensure that NATO continues to deliver. Together we represent nearly two-thirds of the world's economy and we are coming together because we know that cooperation is key. We are stronger together in NATO with partners to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear. Thank you.

Well, let me say that I had a good visit last week with President Trump and we discussed the staggering increase in defense spending by Europeans and Canadians. And of course this is because of Putin and Russia and Ukraine, but also because he, President Trump, has been extremely forceful encouraging us to do this. And you could argue that he is the first president of the US since Eisenhower who was able to come to this situation where the Europeans and the Canadians will spend the same as the Americans. This equalization was a wish for 50, 60 years and now it's happening, and I think in large part to his leadership. And we also discussed some of the disappointment he has, for example, when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran more generally. And we also discussed almost 5,000 sorties of planes taking off from European bases in support of Epic Fury. And only last Friday we have seen the French and the Brits coming together with the Omani to make sure that collectively they will defend the principle of the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an extremely important development only in the last 72 hours.

Well, I think what the message last night again was of how desperate Putin is because you guys, Ukrainians, are doing well on the battlefield. When you look at, of course, this is terrible news for all the Russian families involved. Putin is willing to accept that up to 35,000 of his own, primarily men in uniform, are getting killed on the battlefield, which is terrible news for the families. But of course, from a military point of perspective, important for Ukraine. You are successful there. You are hitting the Russian economy. You are hitting deep into Russia when it comes to energy infrastructure, when it comes to crucial defense industrial capacity of Russia. And you are able on the front line to prevent the Russians from making big advances like a couple of months ago where at least they made some progress on the front line. They are not doing that anymore. It is now more or less of a stalemate. So what happened last night is an indiscriminate attack on innocent civilians, on infrastructure, cities in Ukraine, people getting killed. But this is not the way Russia can ever win this war. Of course it is terrible for the people involved and my thoughts and prayers are with them and the people in Kiev and other cities who had to go through this. But fact is that you guys are doing so much better over the last couple of months than only three or four months ago.

To the contrary. And your country, the United Kingdom, did exactly what needed to be done. And let me commend the British military for the actions they took. That's part one of my reaction to your question. Part two is that it also shows the unprofessionalism of the Russians willing to do this so close to the ship. Of course that's reckless. It's unprofessional. And again, the UK armed forces did exactly what they needed to do, and this is evidence that we will defend ourselves.

On the second part of your question, no, because we have a very close cooperation with the IP4 including with Anthony, your prime minister, and the prime ministers and presidents of New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and Japan. I was just texting this afternoon with the Japanese defense minister about this latest development and I think it is evidence of the fact that we cannot be naive about China. You know this and this is why we have this close cooperation because these theaters are getting more and more intertwined, connected. What happens in the Pacific is relevant to what is happening in the transatlantic and we see it also in the war with Ukraine where China, North Korea and Iran are key enablers of Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. So this again is evidence that we cannot be naive and I can assure you that we are honored.

I don't think so. And that's to your second part of your question, that's already happening. You see Europeans taking over commands in NATO when it comes to the real war fighting and the Americans will then make sure that when it comes to land, air and sea commands, they will take care of those. So there is already a clear distinction of labor where the Europeans are stepping up. We see the same when it comes to Ukraine. The US still providing crucial kit into Ukraine. The defense industry output like interceptors were paid for by Europeans and Canada. And we see it on so many other fronts. When you look at the mass of people in the forward land forces, when it comes to Baltic Sentry, Eastern Sentry, Arctic Sentry, it is the Europeans and the Canadians providing the mass of the men and women in uniform there. So that's Europe and Canada stepping up. So that's already happening and the present structures accommodate for that. And when it comes to your first part of your question, the good news is with the 250 billion extra spent in 25 and 26, can you imagine 250 billion dollars by the Canadians and the Europeans, that means that we have reached the max in terms of absorption capacity. Why? Because there is a limit to what you can spend extra in one or two years in terms of recruiting the men and women in uniform, making sure that the defense industrial base which is rapidly developing and turning out more output. But still of course there is a limit to what they can do in bumping up the output in one or two years. So I think we are in really good shape and massively the Europeans are stepping up. Look at countries like Germany and so many others. And of course if one or two still have to be convinced, we have ways to do that.

Let me say this when it comes to democracy, democracy is more than elections. Elections of course are crucial in democracy but democracy is also the free media. You in this room, that you can ask all the questions you want and write the pieces you want and do your research etc. And of course democracy is also for people to be able to organize demonstrations if they so choose. So it's much more than only free elections. And when it comes to the media, it is very important for NATO that media can attend major events in person.

Very important. Of course, you were there almost since the beginning since 1952. So a couple of years after the start, Turkey joined NATO. You have one of the biggest armed forces in NATO, well trained and particularly the last 5 to 10 years.

Committed to invest 5% of GDP in defense by 2035. And now just one year later, we already see transformational progress. Here in Ankara, I expect nations to present clear, concrete, and credible plans to reach that 5% goal. And the evidence we see so far is impressive.

Just one year into a 10-year project, we see that European allies and Canada are already investing around 4% of their GDP in defense and security. This includes major increases to allies' investments in core defense as well as their defense and security related investments. Last year, European allies and Canada spent nearly 20% more on core defense than they had the year before. Looking at 2025 and 2026 combined, that's $258 billion in extra investments. And the trend continues.

We will need more forces, more resources, and a much stronger industrial base. After years of underinvestment, we are producing real capabilities. European allies and Canada are now on a trajectory to equalize the defense spending with the United States. And not just that, they are taking on more leadership within NATO's command and control structure, stepping up on conventional defense, on efforts to bolster our deterrence and defense, including along the entire eastern flank in the Baltic region and the Arctic, and spearheading support to Ukraine. All of this is evidence of a real shift in mindset, a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO.

The investment is there and now we need to ensure that we are translating our economic might into military capabilities, putting the cash to work from defense plans to drones, from money to missiles and interceptors. This means ensuring innovation is front and center. Overcoming fragmented national defense industries and cutting red tape. The NATO summit defense industry forum which we'll host tomorrow will be the platform where we showcase how we are working with industry to deliver the capabilities that credible deterrence and defense demand. We will announce tens of billions in new contracts that will provide the crucial kit we need to deter and defend.

And then our industries from Arkansas to Ankara combine their strengths and step up supply. The result is not only improved security. This will help grow our economies, spread innovation, and support hundreds of thousands of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.

So, we are investing in our own security, ensuring we have what we need to safeguard our societies today and tomorrow, because the threats we face are real, including from Russia, which continues to wage war on Ukraine. Right now, Ukraine is changing the dynamics on the battlefield thanks to the bravery, the dedication and ingenuity of their armed forces, but they need our continued support, especially when it comes to air defense. Russia continues drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities with another horrific attack just last night. So, as Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty, allies and NATO partners must continue to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs. And let me be clear, all allies need to pull their weight so that our support to Ukraine continues to flow because Ukraine security is so closely linked with our own.

So that's the overview of our agenda for the summit here in Ankara. We are delivering on the commitments made in the Hague to invest in our defense. We will ensure that we are rebalancing for the better, fairly sharing responsibility for our shared security. We will turn cash into capabilities, joining forces with industry. And we will continue our robust support for Ukraine, reminding President Putin that we are firm in our commitment.

Over the next two days, the 32 allies along with partners from Ukraine, the European Union, the Indo-Pacific, and the Gulf will gather to ensure that NATO continues to deliver. Together we represent nearly two-thirds of the world's economy and we are coming together because we know that cooperation is key. We are stronger together in NATO with partners to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear. Thank you.

Well, let me say that I had a good visit last week with President Trump and we discussed the staggering increase in defense spending by Europeans and Canadians. And of course this is because of Putin and Russia and Ukraine, but also because he, President Trump, has been extremely forceful encouraging us to do this. And you could argue that he is the first president of the US since Eisenhower who was able to come to this situation where the Europeans and the Canadians will spend the same as the Americans. This equalization was a wish for 50, 60 years and now it's happening, and I think in large part to his leadership. And we also discussed some of the disappointment he has, for example, when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran more generally. And we also discussed almost 5,000 sorties of planes taking off from European bases in support of Epic Fury. And only last Friday we have seen the French and the Brits coming together with the Omani to make sure that collectively they will defend the principle of the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an extremely important development only in the last 72 hours.

Well, I think what the message last night again was of how desperate Putin is because you guys, Ukrainians, are doing well on the battlefield. When you look at, of course, this is terrible news for all the Russian families involved. Putin is willing to accept that up to 35,000 of his own, primarily men in uniform, are getting killed on the battlefield, which is terrible news for the families. But of course, from a military point of perspective, important for Ukraine. You are successful there. You are hitting the Russian economy. You are hitting deep into Russia when it comes to energy infrastructure, when it comes to crucial defense industrial capacity of Russia. And you are able on the front line to prevent the Russians from making big advances like a couple of months ago where at least they made some progress on the front line. They are not doing that anymore. It is now more or less of a stalemate. So what happened last night is an indiscriminate attack on innocent civilians, on infrastructure, cities in Ukraine, people getting killed. But this is not the way Russia can ever win this war. Of course it is terrible for the people involved and my thoughts and prayers are with them and the people in Kiev and other cities who had to go through this. But fact is that you guys are doing so much better over the last couple of months than only three or four months ago.

To the contrary. And your country, the United Kingdom, did exactly what needed to be done. And let me commend the British military for the actions they took. That's part one of my reaction to your question. Part two is that it also shows the unprofessionalism of the Russians willing to do this so close to the ship. Of course that's reckless. It's unprofessional. And again, the UK armed forces did exactly what they needed to do and this is evidence that we will defend ourselves.

On the second part of your question, no, because we have a very close cooperation with the IP4 including with Anthony, your prime minister, and the prime ministers and presidents of New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and Japan. I was just texting this afternoon with the Japanese defense minister about this latest development and I think it is evidence of the fact that we cannot be naive about China. You know this and this is why we have this close cooperation because these theaters are getting more and more intertwined, connected. What happens in the Pacific is relevant to what is happening in the transatlantic and we see it also in the war with Ukraine where China, North Korea and Iran are key enablers of Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. So this again is evidence that we cannot be naive and I can assure you that we are honored.

I don't think so. And that's to your second part of your question. That's already happening. You see Europeans taking over commands in NATO when it comes to the real war fighting and the Americans will then make sure that when it comes to land, air and sea commands, they will take care of those. So there is already a clear distinction of labor where the Europeans are stepping up. We see the same when it comes to Ukraine. The US still providing crucial kit into Ukraine. Defense industry output like interceptors were paid for by the Europeans and Canada. And we see it on so many other fronts. When you look at the mass of people in the forward land forces, when it comes to Baltic Sentry, Eastern Sentry, Arctic Sentry, it is the Europeans and the Canadians providing the mass of the men and women in uniform there. So that's Europe and Canada stepping up. So that's already happening and the present structures accommodate for that. And when it comes to your first part of your question, the good news is with the 250 billion extra spent in 25 and 26, can you imagine 250 billion by the Canadians and the Europeans, that means that we have reached the max in terms of absorption capacity. Why? Because there is a limit to what you can spend extra in one or two years in terms of recruiting the men and women in uniform, making sure that the defense industrial base which is rapidly developing and turning out more output. But still of course there is a limit to what they can do in bumping up the output in one or two years. So I think we are in really good shape and massively the Europeans are stepping up. Look at countries like Germany and so many others. And of course if one or two still have to be convinced, we have ways to do that.

Let me say this when it comes to democracy, democracy is more than elections. Elections of course are crucial in democracy but democracy is also the free media. You in this room, that you can ask all the questions you want and write the pieces you want and do your research etc. And of course democracy is also for people to be able to organize demonstrations if they so choose. So it's much more than only free elections. And when it comes to the media, it is very important for NATO that media can attend major events in person.

Very important. Of course, you were there almost since the beginning since 1952. So, a couple of years after the start, Turkey joined NATO. You have one of the biggest armed forces in NATO, well trained and particularly the last 5 to 10 years.

Committed to invest 5% of GDP in defense by 2035. And now just one year later, we already see transformational progress. Here in Ankara, I expect nations to present clear, concrete, and credible plans to reach that 5% goal. And the evidence we see so far is impressive.

Just one year into a 10-year project, we see that European allies and Canada are already investing around 4% of their GDP in defense and security. This includes major increases to allies' investments in core defense as well as their defense and security related investments. Last year, European allies and Canada spent nearly 20% more on core defense than they had the year before. Looking at 2025 and 2026 combined, that's $258 billion in extra investment. And the trend continues.

We will need more forces, more resources, and a much stronger industrial base. After years of underinvestment, we are producing real capabilities. European allies and Canada are now on a trajectory to equalize the defense spending with the United States. And not just that, they are taking on more leadership within NATO's command and control structure, stepping up on conventional defense, on efforts to bolster our deterrence and defense, including along the entire eastern flank in the Baltic region and the Arctic, and spearheading support to Ukraine. All of this is evidence of a real shift in mindset, a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO.

The investment is there and now we need to ensure that we are translating our economic might into military capabilities, putting the cash to work from defense plans to drones, from money to missiles and interceptors. This means ensuring innovation is front and center. Overcoming fragmented national defense industries and cutting red tape. The NATO summit defense industry forum which we'll host tomorrow will be the platform where we showcase how we are working with industry to deliver the capabilities that credible deterrence and defense demand. We will announce tens of billions in new contracts that will provide the crucial kit we need to deter and defend.

And then our industries from Arkansas to Ankara combine their strengths and step up supply. The result is not only improved security. This will help grow our economies, spread innovation, and support hundreds of thousands of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.

So, we are investing in our own security, ensuring we have what we need to safeguard our societies today and tomorrow, because the threats we face are real, including from Russia, which continues to wage war on Ukraine. Right now, Ukraine is changing the dynamics on the battlefield thanks to the bravery, the dedication and ingenuity of their armed forces, but they need our continued support, especially when it comes to air defense. Russia continues drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities with another horrific attack just last night. So, as Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty, allies and NATO partners must continue to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs. And let me be clear, all allies need to pull their weight so that our support to Ukraine continues to flow because Ukraine security is so closely linked with our own.

So that's the overview of our agenda for the summit here in Ankara. We are delivering on the commitments made in the Hague to invest in our defense. We will ensure that we are rebalancing for the better, fairly sharing responsibility for our shared security. We will turn cash into capabilities, joining forces with industry. And we will continue our robust support for Ukraine, reminding President Putin that we are firm in our commitment.

Over the next two days, the 32 allies along with partners from Ukraine, the European Union, the Indo-Pacific, and the Gulf will gather to ensure that NATO continues to deliver. Together we represent nearly two-thirds of the world's economy and we are coming together because we know that cooperation is key. We are stronger together in NATO with partners to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear. Thank you.

Well, let me say that I had a good visit last week with President Trump and we discussed the staggering increase in defense spending by Europeans and Canadians. And of course this is because of Putin and Russia and Ukraine, but also because he, President Trump, has been extremely forceful encouraging us to do this. And you could argue that he is the first president of the US since Eisenhower who was able to come to this situation where the Europeans and the Canadians will spend the same as the Americans. This equalization was a wish for 50, 60 years and now it's happening, and I think in large part to his leadership. And we also discussed some of the disappointment he has, for example, when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran more generally. And we also discussed almost 5,000 sorties of planes taking off from European bases in support of Epic Fury. And only last Friday we have seen the French and the Brits coming together with the Omani to make sure that collectively they will defend the principle of the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an extremely important development only in the last 72 hours.

Well, I think what the message last night again was of how desperate Putin is because you guys, Ukrainians, are doing well on the battlefield. When you look at, of course, this is terrible news for all the Russian families involved. Putin is willing to accept that up to 35,000 of his own, primarily men in uniform, are getting killed on the battlefield, which is terrible news for the families. But of course, from a military point of perspective, important for Ukraine. You are successful there. You are hitting the Russian economy. You are hitting deep into Russia when it comes to energy infrastructure, when it comes to crucial defense industrial capacity of Russia. And you are able on the front line to prevent the Russians from making big advances like a couple of months ago where at least they made some progress on the front line. They are not doing that anymore. It is now more or less of a stalemate. So what happened last night is an indiscriminate attack on innocent civilians, on infrastructure, cities in Ukraine, people getting killed. But this is not the way Russia can ever win this war. Of course it is terrible for the people involved and my thoughts and prayers are with them and the people in Kiev and other cities who had to go through this. But fact is that you guys are doing so much better over the last couple of months than only three or four months ago.

To the contrary. And your country, the United Kingdom, did exactly what needed to be done. And let me commend the British military for the actions they took. That's part one of my reaction to your question. Part two is that it also shows the unprofessionalism of the Russians willing to do this so close to the ship. Of course that's reckless. It's unprofessional. And again, the UK armed forces did exactly what they needed to do, and this is evidence that we will defend ourselves.

On the second part of your question, no, because we have a very close cooperation with the IP4 including with Anthony, your prime minister, and the prime ministers and presidents of New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and Japan. I was just texting this afternoon with the Japanese defense minister about this latest development and I think it is evidence of the fact that we cannot be naive about China. You know this and this is why we have this close cooperation because these theaters are getting more and more intertwined, connected. What happens in the Pacific is relevant to what is happening in the transatlantic and we see it also in the war with Ukraine where China, North Korea and Iran are key enablers of Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. So this again is evidence that we cannot be naive and I can assure you that we are honored.

I don't think so. And that's to your second part of your question, that's already happening. You see Europeans taking over commands in NATO when it comes to the real war fighting and the Americans will then make sure that when it comes to land, air and sea commands, they will take care of those. So there is already a clear distinction of labor where the Europeans are stepping up. We see the same when it comes to Ukraine. The US still providing crucial kit into Ukraine, the defense industry output like interceptors were paid for by the Europeans and Canada. And we see it on so many other fronts. When you look at the mass of people in the forward land forces, when it comes to Baltic Sentry, Eastern Sentry, Arctic Sentry, it is Europeans and Canadians providing the mass of the men and women in uniform there. So that's Europe and Canada stepping up. So that's already happening and the present structures accommodate for that. And when it comes to your first part of your question, the good news is with the 250 billion extra spent in 25 and 26, can you imagine $250 billion by the Canadians and the Europeans, that means that we have reached the max in terms of absorption capacity. Why? Because there is a limit to what you can spend extra in one or two years in terms of recruiting the men and women in uniform, making sure that the defense industrial base which is rapidly developing and turning out more output. But still of course there is a limit to what they can do in bumping up the output in one or two years. So I think we are in really good shape and massively the Europeans are stepping up. Look at countries like Germany and so many others. And of course, if one or two still have to be convinced, we have ways to do that.

Let me say this when it comes to democracy, democracy is more than elections. Elections of course are crucial in democracy but democracy is also the free media. You in this room, that you can ask all the questions you want and write the pieces you want and do your research etc. And of course democracy is also for people to be able to organize demonstrations if they so choose. So it's much more than only free elections. And when it comes to the media, it is very important for NATO that media can attend major events in person.

Very important. Of course, you were there almost since the beginning since 1952. So a couple of years after the start, Turkey joined NATO. You have one of the biggest armed forces in NATO, well trained and particularly the last 5 to 10 years.

Committed to invest 5% of GDP in defense by 2035. And now just one year later, we already see transformational progress. Here in Ankara, I expect nations to present clear, concrete, and credible plans to reach that 5% goal. And the evidence we see so far is impressive.

Just one year into a 10-year project, we see that European allies and Canada are already investing around 4% of their GDP in defense and security. This includes major increases to allies' investments in core defense as well as their defense and security related investments. Last year, European allies and Canada spent nearly 20% more on core defense than they had the year before. Looking at 2025 and 2026 combined, that's $258 billion in extra investments. And the trend continues.

We will need more forces, more resources, and a much stronger industrial base. After years of underinvestment, we are producing real capabilities. European allies and Canada are now on a trajectory to equalize the defense spending with the United States. And not just that, they are taking on more leadership within NATO's command and control structure, stepping up on conventional defense, on efforts to bolster our deterrence and defense, including along the entire eastern flank in the Baltic region and the Arctic, and spearheading support to Ukraine. All of this is evidence of a real shift in mindset, a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO.

The investment is there and now we need to ensure that we are translating our economic might into military capabilities, putting the cash to work from defense plans to drones, from money to missiles and interceptors. This means ensuring innovation is front and center. Overcoming fragmented national defense industries and cutting red tape. The NATO summit defense industry forum which we'll host tomorrow will be the platform where we showcase how we are working with industry to deliver the capabilities that credible deterrence and defense demand. We will announce tens of billions in new contracts that will provide the crucial kit we need to deter and defend.

And then our industries from Arkansas to Ankara combine their strengths and step up supply. The result is not only improved security. This will help grow our economies, spread innovation, and support hundreds of thousands of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.

So, we are investing in our own security, ensuring we have what we need to safeguard our societies today and tomorrow, because the threats we face are real, including from Russia, which continues to wage war on Ukraine. Right now, Ukraine is changing the dynamics on the battlefield thanks to the bravery, the dedication and ingenuity of their armed forces, but they need our continued support, especially when it comes to air defense.

especially when it comes to air defense. Russia continues drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities with another horrific attack just last night. So, as Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty, allies and NATO partners must continue to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs. And let me be clear, all allies need to pull their weight so that our support to Ukraine continues to flow because Ukraine security is so closely linked with our own.

So that's the overview of our agenda for the summit here in Ankara. We are delivering on the commitments made in The Hague to invest in our defense. We will ensure that we are rebalancing for the better, fairly sharing responsibility for our shared security. We will turn cash into capabilities, joining forces with industry, and we will continue our robust support for Ukraine, reminding President Putin that we are firm in our commitment.

Over the next two days, the 32 allies along with partners from Ukraine, the European Union, the Indo-Pacific, and the Gulf will gather to ensure that NATO continues to deliver. Together we represent nearly two-thirds of the world's economy and we are coming together because we know that cooperation is key. We are stronger together in NATO with partners to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear. Thank you.

Well, let me say that I had a good visit last week with President Trump and we discussed the staggering increase in defense spending by Europeans and Canadians. And of course this is because of Putin and Russia and Ukraine but also because he, President Trump, has been extremely forceful encouraging us to do this. And you could argue that he is the first president of the US since Eisenhower who was able to come to this situation where the Europeans and the Canadians will spend the same as the Americans. This equalization was a wish for 50, 60 years and now it's happening and I think in large part to his leadership. And we also discussed some of the disappointment he has, for example, when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran more generally. And we also discussed almost 5,000 sorties of planes taking off from European bases in support of Operation Prosperity Guardian. And only last Friday we have seen the French and the Brits coming together with the Omani to make sure that collectively they will defend the principle of the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an extremely important development only in the last 72 hours.

Well, I think what the message last night again was of how desperate Putin is because you guys, Ukrainians, are doing well on the battlefield. When you look at, of course, this is terrible news for all the Russian families involved. Putin is willing to accept that up to 35,000 of his own, primarily men in uniform, are getting killed on the battlefield, which is terrible news for the families. But of course, from a military point of perspective, important for Ukraine. You are successful there. You are hitting the Russian economy. You are hitting deep into Russia when it comes to energy infrastructure, when it comes to crucial defense industrial capacity of Russia. And you are able on the front line to prevent the Russians from making big advances like a couple of months ago where at least they made some progress on the front line. They are not doing that anymore. It is now more or less of a stalemate. So what happened last night is an indiscriminate attack on innocent civilians, on infrastructure, cities in Ukraine, people getting killed. But this is not the way Russia can ever win this war. Of course it is terrible for the people involved and my thoughts and prayers are with them and the people in Kiev and other cities who had to go through this. But fact is that you guys are doing so much better over the last couple of months than only three or four months ago.

To the contrary. And your country, the United Kingdom, did exactly what needed to be done. And let me commend the British military for the actions they took. That's part one of my reaction to your question. Part two is that it also shows the unprofessionalism of the Russians willing to do this so close to the ship. Of course, that's reckless. It's unprofessional. And again, the UK armed forces did exactly what they needed to do. And this is evidence that we will defend ourselves.

On the second part of your question, no, because we have a very close cooperation with the IP4, including with Anthony, your prime minister, and the prime ministers and presidents of New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, and Japan. I was just texting this afternoon with the Japanese defense minister about this latest development and I think it is evidence of the fact that we cannot be naive about China. You know this and this is why we have this close cooperation because these theaters are getting more and more intertwined, connected. What happens in the Pacific is relevant to what is happening in the transatlantic and we see it also in the war with Ukraine where China, North Korea, and Iran are key enablers of Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. So this again is evidence that we cannot be naive and I can assure you that we are honored.

I don't think so. And that's to your second part of your question, that's already happening. You see Europeans taking over commands in NATO when it comes to the real war fighting and the Americans will then make sure that when it comes to land, air, and sea commands, they will take care of those. So there is already a clear distinction of labor where the Europeans are stepping up. We see the same when it comes to Ukraine. The US still providing crucial kit into Ukraine, defense industry output like interceptors were paid for by the Europeans and Canada. And we see it on so many other fronts. When you look at the mass of people in the forward land forces, when it comes to Baltic Sentry, Eastern Sentry, Arctic Sentry, it is the Europeans and the Canadians providing the mass of the men and women in uniform there. So that's Europe and Canada stepping up. So that's already happening and the present structures accommodate for that. And when it comes to your first part of your question, the good news is with the 250 billion extra spend in 25 and 26, can you imagine 250 billion dollars by the Canadians and the Europeans, that means that we have reached the max in terms of absorption capacity. Why? Because there is a limit to what you can spend extra in one or two years in terms of recruiting the men and women in uniform, making sure that the defense industrial base which is rapidly developing and turning out more output. But still of course there is a limit to what they can do in pumping up the output in one or two years. So I think we are in really good shape and massively the Europeans are stepping up. Look at countries like Germany and so many others. And of course if one or two still have to be convinced, we have ways to do that.

Let me say this when it comes to democracy, democracy is more than elections. Elections of course are crucial in democracy but democracy is also the free media. You in this room that you can ask all the questions you want and write the pieces you want and do your research etc. And of course democracy is also for people to be able to organize demonstrations if they so choose. So it's much more than only free elections. And when it comes to the media, it is very important for NATO that media can attend major events in person.

Very important. Of course, you were there almost since the beginning since 1952. So, a couple of years after the start, Turkey joined NATO. You have one of the biggest armed forces in NATO, well trained, and particularly the last five to 10 years, Turkey has committed to invest 5% of GDP in defense by 2035.

And now just one year later, we already see transformational progress. Here in Ankara, I expect nations to present clear, concrete, and credible plans to reach that 5% goal. And the evidence we see so far is impressive.

Just one year into a 10-year project, we see that European allies and Canada are already investing around 4% of their GDP in defense and security. This includes major increases to allies' investments in core defense as well as their defense and security related investments.

Last year, European allies and Canada spent nearly 20% more on core defense than they had the year before. Looking at 2025 and 2026 combined, that's $258 billion in extra investments. And the trend continues.

We will need more forces, more resources, and a much stronger industrial base. After years of underinvestment, we are producing real capabilities.

European allies and Canada are now on a trajectory to equalize the defense spending with the United States. And not just that, they are taking on more leadership within NATO's command and control structure, stepping up on conventional defense, on efforts to bolster our deterrence and defense, including along the entire eastern flank in the Baltic region and the Arctic, and spearheading support to Ukraine.

All of this is evidence of a real shift in mindset, a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO.

The investment is there and now we need to ensure that we are translating our economic might into military capabilities, putting the cash to work from defense plans to drones, from money to missiles and interceptors.

This means ensuring innovation is front and center, overcoming fragmented national defense industries and cutting red tape.

The NATO summit defense industry forum which we'll host tomorrow will be the platform where we showcase how we are working with industry to deliver the capabilities that credible deterrence and defense demand. We will announce tens of billions in new contracts that will provide the crucial kit we need to deter and defend.

And then our industries from Arkansas to Ankara combine their strengths and step up supply. The result is not only improved security.

This will help grow our economies, spread innovation, and support hundreds of thousands of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.

So, we are investing in our own security, ensuring we have what we need to safeguard our societies today and tomorrow, because the threats we face are real, including from Russia, which continues to wage war on Ukraine.

Right now, Ukraine is changing the dynamics on the battlefield thanks to the bravery, the dedication and ingenuity of their armed forces, but they need our continued support, especially when it comes to air defense.

Russia continues drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities with another horrific attack just last night.

So, as Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty, allies and NATO partners must continue to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs. And let me be clear, all allies need to pull their weight so that our support to Ukraine continues to flow because Ukraine security is so closely linked with our own.

So that's the overview of our agenda for the summit here in Ankara. We are delivering on the commitments made in The Hague to invest in our defense. We will ensure that we are rebalancing for the better, fairly sharing the responsibility for our shared security. We will turn cash into capabilities, joining forces with industry, and we will continue our robust support for Ukraine, reminding President Putin that we are firm in our commitment.

Over the next two days, the 32 allies along with partners from Ukraine, European Union, the Indo-Pacific, and the Gulf will gather to ensure that NATO continues to deliver.

Together we represent nearly two-thirds of the world's economy and we are coming together because we know that cooperation is key. We are stronger together in NATO with partners to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear. Thank you.

Well, let me say that I had a good visit last week with President Trump and we discussed the staggering increase in defense spending by Europeans and Canadians. And of course this is because of Putin and Russia and Ukraine but also because he, President Trump, has been extremely forceful encouraging us to do this. And you could argue that he is the first president of the US since Eisenhower who was able to come to this situation where the Europeans and the Canadians will spend the same as the Americans. This equalization was a wish for 50, 60 years and now it's happening and I think in large part to his leadership. And we also discussed some of the disappointment he has, for example, when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran more generally. And we also discussed almost 5,000 sorties of planes taking off from European bases in support of Operation Prosperity Guardian. And only last Friday we have seen the French and the Brits coming together with the Omani to make sure that collectively they will defend the principle of the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an extremely important development only in the last 72 hours.

Well, I think what the message last night again was of how desperate Putin is because you guys, Ukrainians, are doing well on the battlefield. When you look at, of course, this is terrible news for all the Russian families involved. Putin is willing to accept that up to 35,000 of his own, primarily men in uniform, are getting killed on the battlefield, which is terrible news for the families. But of course, from a military point of perspective, important for Ukraine. You are successful there. You are hitting the Russian economy. You are hitting deep into Russia when it comes to energy infrastructure, when it comes to crucial defense industrial capacity of Russia. And you are able on the front line to prevent the Russians from making big advances like a couple of months ago where at least they made some progress on the front line. They are not doing that anymore. It is now more or less of a stalemate. So what happened last night is an indiscriminate attack on innocent civilians, on infrastructure, cities in Ukraine, people getting killed. But this is not the way Russia can ever win this war. Of course it is terrible for the people involved and my thoughts and prayers are with them and the people in Kiev and other cities who had to go through this. But fact is that you guys are doing so much better over the last couple of months than only three or four months ago.

To the contrary. And your country, the United Kingdom, did exactly what needed to be done. And let me commend the British military for the actions they took. That's part one of my reaction to your question. Part two is that it also shows the unprofessionalism of the Russians willing to do this so close to the ship. Of course, that's reckless. It's unprofessional. And again, the UK armed forces did exactly what they needed to do, and this is evidence that we will defend ourselves.