President Donald Trump is participating in the final day of the NATO summit on Wednesday, where alliance leaders are discussing defense spending, support for Ukraine, and transatlantic security. Trump will attend the summit's plenary session and hold bilateral meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa before concluding with a press conference in Ankara, Turkey.
On Tuesday, Trump announced during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that the United States would lift sanctions on Turkey and indicated he is ready to proceed with the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, despite previous U.S. opposition related to Turkey's acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system.
The agenda for Wednesday includes discussions on enhancing collective defense and the implementation of increased defense spending commitments, particularly in light of ongoing support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion. Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy is anticipated to be significant as Ukraine seeks military assistance and air defense capabilities amid warnings of critical shortages of Patriot interceptor missiles.
Ukrainian officials have requested the transfer of Patriot interceptors from partner nations while awaiting longer-term production. They have also secured European support for hundreds of Patriot missiles financed by Germany, although deliveries may take months or years.
Additionally, Trump is expected to meet with Syrian President al-Sharaa, who has sought closer ties with Washington in the context of changing security dynamics in the Middle East. The summit will also address NATO's commitment to allocate 5% of GDP to defense by 2025 and the need for member nations to present actionable plans to meet this target, as emphasized by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Trump has also expressed criticism towards European allies, questioning their contributions to NATO and suggesting the potential withdrawal of U.S. troops from Europe, citing the financial burden of U.S. support for European security.