In a summit marked by public flare-ups and private reassurance, NATO’s 32 leaders closed ranks in Ankara by renewing what they called an “ironclad commitment” to the alliance’s Article Five pledge that an attack on one member is an attack on all — and by underscoring the enduring “transatlantic bond”.
Meeting in the Turkish capital, the allies also declared themselves “united in our unwavering support for Ukraine”, noting that European states and Canada “now finance the vast majority of security assistance” to Volodymyr Zelensky’s country.
The Ankara summit declaration said Europeans and Canada are “assuming greater responsibility for the alliance’s defence”, a theme NATO leaders leaned on as they sought to show the US they are carrying more of the burden.
US President Donald Trump, who had scolded allies earlier in the day over their response to his war on Iran, ended the summit offering an unexpectedly warm embrace to partners as the gathering wrapped.
In the closing statement, NATO reiterated its stance that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon and urged Tehran “to fully respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”.
After the closed-door session, Mr Trump told reporters the atmosphere had shifted decisively. “It was a great meeting, there was a lot of love in that room, a lot of unity,” he said.
Inside the room, he privately sought to settle doubts about Washington’s direction, telling leaders: “We want to remain with you”, a source in the meeting told AFP.
That message was echoed in the declaration, as leaders reaffirmed their “ironclad commitment” to the mutual defence clause at the heart of the NATO treaty.
“An attack on one is an attack on all,” the text said, language aimed squarely at easing concerns about the United States’ long-term commitment.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and US President Donald Trump gave a briefing earlier
The summit’s final tone contrasted sharply with a turbulent start. Before the leaders met, Mr Trump lashed out over allies’ refusal to back his Iran campaign, threatened to cut trade with Spain, and again insisted he wants NATO member Denmark’s territory of Greenland.
“I’m very upset with NATO… because of what they did with Greenland, and… because of the fact that they didn’t want to help us with the number one state sponsor of terror, that’s Iran,” he said.
In Brussels, the European Union pushed back, stressing that Greenland’s future is not Washington’s to decide after Mr Trump renewed his interest in the Arctic island.
“Territorial integrity, national sovereignty and inviolability of borders are fundamental principles of international law,” EU spokesman Olof Gill said.
“The EU stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland.”
Mr Trump, for his part, signalled he has not abandoned his ambition for the territory, raising it during a briefing alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
“Greenland is a big problem for us,” he told reporters, arguing it was “very important for the United States, but it’s not important for Denmark”.
“We need it for protection of the world, not just the United States.. It doesn’t help Denmark, but it helps us.”
He also invoked history to support his case, recalling Denmark’s occupation during World War II.
“In fact, when Denmark was overrun by the Nazis in less than one day – Hitler beat them out in one day, took over – they asked us to take care of Greenland.
“In fact, we took Greenland, and then stupidly we gave it back.”
Danish reporter asks NATO’s Rutte about Trump’s toll on his ‘self-respect’
Mr Rutte said the United States and Denmark would stick to an existing arrangement to hold talks on potentially expanding the US footprint on the island.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen restated Copenhagen’s position bluntly, insisting Greenland is “not for sale”.
Across the alliance, leaders have resisted Mr Trump’s argument that the Arctic territory should belong to the United States rather than Denmark.
Even so, Mr Trump repeated his grievances, again tying Greenland to his frustration over Iran.
“I’m not happy with NATO because of what they did with Greenland, and I’m not happy with NATO because of the fact that they didn’t want to help us with the number one state sponsor of terror, that’s Iran. They were unwilling to help us,” the US President said.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump during the summit in Turkey
Trump orders halt to US trade with Spain over NATO spending, Iran
Mr Trump also ordered an immediate halt to all trade with NATO ally Spain, deepening tensions over defence spending and the Iran war — even as European Union rules require trade negotiations to be handled as a single bloc.
It was the second time he has instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to halt commerce with Spain over Madrid’s refusal to commit to NATO’s new defence spending target of 5% of GDP.
After Mr Trump’s first such promise in March, however, trade between the two countries continued normally.
“Spain doesn’t agree to anything, and you shouldn’t carry them,” he told Mr Rutte. The NATO chief later tried to cool the row, saying Spain “made a huge step last year” by raising its spending to 2%, while adding that “there are still issues we have to solve”.
Mr Trump then pressed the point in blunt terms. “I don’t want to do any trade with them, alright?” he said, turning to Mr Bessent, who replied: “Yes, sir.”
He followed with an instruction: “Take it immediately. Don’t even talk to them. They’re hopeless. They’re bad people … They make so much money with us, and we’re going to see that they make a lot less.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez insisted the relationship remained intact, calling ties with Washington “very positive” despite the threat to cut off all trade.
“Relations between the United States and Spain are very positive relations in social, cultural, economic and also political terms.”
Questions also lingered over what authority Mr Trump would have to end trade with Spain after the US Supreme Court struck down his use of emergency powers to impose arbitrary tariffs.
Mr Sanchez said he spoke briefly with Mr Trump in Ankara about football and detected no hostility.
“I held an informal chat” with Mr Trump, he said, adding: “there was absolutely no kind of tension”.
“On the contrary, everything was kind words and friendliness,” he said.
Donald Trump said he did not want to talk to Spain on trade
Bark worse than bite
Once Mr Trump came face-to-face with fellow leaders in the private session, his posture softened, according to the source who attended.
“There is a strong contrast between what Trump says in public and what he actually says inside,” the source told AFP.
His rhetoric on Iran, too, appeared to ease. After describing Iranians earlier as “scum” and “vicious, violent people”, his comments in the meeting were “not as harsh”, the source said.
In that closed setting, he did not return to Spain or Greenland, the source added.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said he also saw a more measured approach, describing Mr Trump’s message as “kind of constructive” — pressing Europe to step up and invest more in defence.
“So it was kind of a good mood with sort of constructive messages,” he said.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys urged caution in reading too much into the outbursts, warning against interpreting them as evidence of a NATO unraveling.
“I wouldn’t see in it an indicator that we are somehow weakening NATO, and that the transatlantic bond is not there,” he said.
“I think we should dramatise things less.”
On the eve of the summit’s central session, NATO published figures showing core defence spending by Europe rose 11% in 2026 and was set to reach $634bn (€554bn), up from $571bn (€499bn) the year before.
A Turkish Stars NF-5 aircraft seen after completing a demonstration flight during the NATO Summit
Determined to avoid another clash with Mr Trump, allies unveiled tens of billions in fresh arms contracts, aiming to demonstrate they are delivering on promises to increase defence outlays.
Mr Rutte said allies were “delivering” as they move to shoulder more responsibility for their own security in the face of Russia.
“This is a big win for the American president.”
Despite the disputes that surfaced in Ankara, Mr Rutte argued the alliance was leaving Turkey stronger than it arrived.
“I always felt that families where sometimes you have a heart to heart and sometimes you fight each other a bit are much stronger,” he said.
Boost for Ukraine
Ukraine, meanwhile, returned to the centre of the conversation as stalled efforts to halt the war resurfaced — with Mr Trump promising a major boost in air defence production for Kyiv.
He said he would give Ukraine “the right to make” Patriot air-defence missiles, ahead of talks with Mr Zelensky on the summit’s sidelines.
“We’re going to give a licence to you to make Patriots. That’s pretty cool, right,” Mr Trump told Mr Zelensky, as Ukraine’s forces struggle to stop Russian ballistic missiles amid dwindling supplies of critical US-made Patriot interceptors.
President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) welcomes US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Despite heavy bombardments from Moscow in recent days, Kyiv appears to be gaining ground by stabilising the front line and launching strikes deep inside Russia — strikes Mr Trump suggested could contribute to ending the conflict.
“It’s an escalation, but it’s also an escalation that can help lead to an end,” he said, repeating his belief that Mr Zelensky and Russia’s Vladimir Putin both want a deal to stop the fighting.
In the final declaration, Europe and Canada also pledged to sustain military aid to Ukraine at €70 billion per year in both 2026 and 2027.
Before departing Ankara, Mr Trump was also set to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, as he looks to help rebuild Syria’s international image as it emerges from years of civil war.
Erdogan gifted fellow leaders pistols – Starmer
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered each leader attending the NATO summit a pistol as a gift, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
Speaking to reporters on his flight home, Mr Starmer said the pistols were engraved with each leader’s name and came with a box of ammunition.
Mr Starmer said he had to leave the gift behind in Turkey because bringing it into Britain would be illegal, even though Erdogan provided a letter lifting export controls on the weapons.
The NATO summit marked the last major international appearance for Mr Starmer after he announced his resignation on 22 June.
He will remain in office until the Labour Party selects a new prime minister, with former Manchester mayor Andy Burnham now expected to run unopposed.
