Leaders of NATO's 32 member states, together with key partner countries, have gathered in the Turkish capital, Ankara, for a two-day summit focused on strengthening the alliance's collective defense, reviewing progress on previous commitments, and addressing evolving global security challenges.

Opening the summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized that the meeting is intended to ensure the alliance "continues to deliver" on its commitments, calling for what he described as a "trans-Atlantic defense industrial revolution" to enhance military readiness and defense production across allied nations.

The discussions will assess progress made since the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague, where member states agreed to significantly increase defense spending. At that summit, allies committed to raising defense budgets from the long-standing target of 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) to 5%, following sustained pressure from the United States to strengthen the alliance's military capabilities.

The Ankara meeting comes at a time of heightened international tensions. Leaders are expected to discuss NATO's continued support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's ongoing invasion, as well as broader regional security issues, including the implications of the recently established but fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran.