- The Trump administration has urged NATO allies to "immediately" increase their defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP ahead of a summit in Ankara this week.
- US ambassador to NATO, Matt Whitaker, stated that while some allies like Poland and Nordic countries are leading, many others are "lagging behind" and must step up.
- NATO leaders will convene in Ankara to review progress on defence investment and and support for Ukraine, with Secretary General Mark Rutte expecting significant arms deals.
- Mark Rutte and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen co-authored an op-ed, asserting that Europe's era of outsourcing defence is "now over" and emphasising the need for cooperation.
- The US has previously expressed concerns about the "one-sided" relationship with the military alliance, with Trump complaining about the US spending money without sufficient benefit.
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