NATO leaders met Tuesday for the first day of a two-day summit in the Turkish capital Ankara, at which defence spending, Ukraine, and alliance unity topped the agenda.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump to the Presidential Complex, after which the two leaders held one of the summit's most highly anticipated bilateral meetings.
In his first visit to Ankara since returning to office last year, Trump met with his Turkish counterpart behind closed doors to discuss defence cooperation, regional security, and broader strategic ties.
According to Turkish officials, discussions focused on U.S. sanctions imposed on Türkiye under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), Ankara's hope of rejoining a U.S.-led F-35 jet fighter programme, and expanding cooperation in the defence industrial field.
The summit brings together leaders from NATO's 32 member states at a time when the Western alliance is confronting Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, instability across the Middle East, and mounting pressure to strengthen its collective deterrent capacity.
At a high-profile NATO Defence Industry Forum held alongside the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met NATO chief Mark Rutte, with whom he discussed military assistance to Kyiv, especially in terms of air defences.
Along with Ukraine, the summit’s first day was dominated by the issue of defence spending by allies.
In pre-summit remarks, Rutte urged NATO allies to step up investment in their military capabilities, as leaders seek to achieve a spending target of 5% of GDP on defence and security by 2035.
At the Defence Industry Forum, several multinational initiatives were unveiled to enhance the production of missiles, drones, air defence systems, and other vital military equipment.
The summit’s first day also saw continued debate over inter-alliance burden-sharing, with Trump again urging European allies to increase defence spending and stressing the need for a stronger NATO.
Leaders are set to continue talks on Wednesday before issuing a final declaration laying out NATO’s position on collective defence, defence-industrial cooperation, and continued support for Ukraine.
Türkiye could become an increasingly important outlet for Iraqi crude as Baghdad develops new export routes to reduce its reliance on the Stra...
Operations at several energy facilities in Saudi Arabia were suspended on Tuesday after attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi forces injured more than 70 ...
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at leas...
At least five people were killed and five others injured when an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway and crashed while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, 6 September, local officials said.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” in its war against Iran had changed “before it is too late”, a day after Washington struck several Iranian tankers in the Gulf.
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
Indonesia has reopened Jakarta's main airport and four others after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau forced widespread flight cancellations, though fresh eruptions have kept authorities on alert.
Israel said on Tuesday it was closing the British consulate in East Jerusalem after the UK, France and Canada announced plans to restrict imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
France will move to restrict imports of goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, joining 11 other countries backing or considering similar measures, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Tuesday.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday a €200 million ($232 million) deal with Greenland, called the Global Gateway Partnership Package, aimed at strengthening the EU-Greenland partnership, amid growing U.S. interest in the Arctic island.
Britain is set to ban trade in goods and some services from Israeli settlements in the West Bank as the government steps up efforts to protect the prospects of a two-state solution.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment