Ankara Summit Content Series

These articles are part of a series featuring Atlantic Council experts’ analysis and recommendations on the key challenges facing allies at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, and beyond.

TRACKING NATO SPENDING


Trackers and Data Visualizations

Jun 20, 2025

NATO defense spending tracker

By
Kristen Taylor, Julia Salabert

The Transatlantic Security Initiative’s NATO defense spending tracker delves into data and figures to analyze current defense spending trends.

Europe & Eurasia
NATO

FEATURED READING

FEATURED EVENTS

TUNE IN

ARCHIVES: THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL ON THE ROAD TO THE NATO SUMMIT

Programs and initiatives

The Transatlantic Security Initiative, in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, shapes and influences the debate on the greatest security challenges facing the North Atlantic Alliance and its key partners.

Within the Atlantic Council’s longstanding commitment to strengthening the transatlantic relationship, the Atlantic Council Turkey Program conducts research, provides thought leadership, and offers a platform for strategic dialogue between the US, Turkey, and NATO allies to address the region’s toughest challenges and explore opportunities, including in the fields of energy, business & trade, technology, defense, and security.

Content

https://www.flickr.com/photos/unaoc/4702078321/in/photolist-8avo4T-eCa6oC-4se9cd-eNqjVB-eCKRtR-eGdTwX-eQ1e1X-eQctXU-eCKStV-T9hi3m-eGk4Rw-eCKWtc-eLyqLf-eNqnaM-eC9UD9-eHN8h9-eQ16Cn-ruYxzz-eC9YzS-eQcDXq-eCL2tF-eCqNNo-eHNciu-eLynuj-eHGd6K-eLyov3-eLmMrP-eCPaD7-eQ18xM-eCCdNT-dyAZyY-pZ8Y1v-qSUM3t-qSMaZ5-rahz6q-qSP5Do-rahyRC-ranRZD-eGqxrV-raniQ8-emn6w9-qSWE9T-4FYMiC-9KMiYc-r85ajs-qSM989-em4FC9-qSWFjP-eKvb3Q-e65oj8

NATOSource

Apr 10, 2017

Purged from Turkish Army, NATO Officers Granted Asylum in Norway

By Mark Lewis, Associated Press

Norway and Turkey — NATO’s northern and southern frontiers in Europe — have been pillars of the Western military alliance for more than 60 years. But the diplomatic temperature between the two has fallen steadily

NATO Northern Europe

NATOSource

Apr 6, 2017

Russia’s New Intermediate Range Missiles – Back to the 1970s

By Stefan Forss

It may be too late to save the INF Treaty, Brookings Senior Fellow, Ambassador Steven Pifer stated recently. “From bases in western Russia, nuclear-armed Russian SSC-8 GLCMs could target Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Rome, Athens, Ankara, and even Paris and London,”

NATO Russia
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nato_maritime_command/33308067975/in/photolist-pAx6Z1-rq1Nyc-DaDmT4-JhWs9Q-HVn5qW-yuZpRi-Rj1Pu9-osTaXh-SKjyb4-QB5Rdb-HcE2ts-odAXUE-xdWa91-6UWZn1-JPMvVo-RnDJ8k-Q6cVWA-E6pAuv-EvF9yZ-yKbZWy-Sauxkf-AM1E74-SFGYLY-QyjGrc-QyjHEV-SauBvj-yNgSmk-JPMwH5-Gk5gu9-LWxyie-NbjEW7-NcsdTT-Pd5zh7-PqJMd6-NSf4M3-G7ehfN-zn3APM-w47cJs

NATOSource

Apr 5, 2017

Commander of NATO Naval Forces Discloses Details of Operation Sea Guardian

By Clive Johnstone, NATO Maritime Command

Central to NATO’s effort to project stability in the South is Operation Sea Guardian [OSG]. This is NATO’s new maritime security operation in the Mediterranean.

Greece Intelligence
http://www.mc.nato.int/media-centre/news/2017/remarks-of-admiral-johnstone-during-his-visit-to-the-hellenic-defence-college.aspx

NATOSource

Apr 5, 2017

Admiral: NATO’s Standing Naval Forces are the Alliance’s ‘First Responders’

By Clive Johnstone, NATO Maritime Command

As a sailor, I have a particular interest in the battle of Salamis. It stands as the classic example of a small, allied but unified force acting boldly to defeat a much larger, clumsy and disorganized opponent.

Greece NATO

Issue Brief

Apr 5, 2017

Back to the North

By Magnus Nordenman

The European security environment is at its most volatile since the Cold War, and much of the friction between NATO and a newly assertive Russia can be found in the maritime domain, particularly in the Baltic Sea region. This means that NATO must once again address the role of the maritime domain in collective defense […]

Maritime Security NATO
https://www.flickr.com/photos/39955793@N07/9625468262/in/photolist-7Zj35K-7TyG1u-acg3Xz-9G5cHU-bbJzcK-y4Wzmj-9dCoDB-bEig3X-fEz3nm-8Bx1kS-7xEepE-7xGZuJ-7YzKPx-7xxeF6-7xB4n5-7xB4k3-a89HtA-7xApTx-7xApRi-6AvoDF-baeQQr-7xwzGz-89iS3C-baJWM4-jpTSz6-xNjykk-8186dW-8S8XVG-fJAcMX-83qdkp-8sApmN-8sQXMg-8sAp7f-9RzkUR-8sU1hG

NATOSource

Apr 4, 2017

Lithuania Says Russia has Ability to Launch Baltic Attack in 24 Hours

By Andrius Sytas, Reuters

Russia has developed the capability to launch an attack on the Baltic states with as little as 24 hours’ notice

Intelligence NATO
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nato/33625124061/in/photolist-SdmPhZ-TgUkD2-SbNTtx-SbTBqk-SQEwSh-ScFjCH-Tn48VA-Tccx2L-SQEx1J-SQExqS-SQEx6y-S9amgj-SQExi7-SQExby-QSC1ef-QTgESn-RyhHso-Rh3EHU-Q8VqHZ-R5E9qw-Tn9onw-Q7mTTk-TqKh9F-Thyuws-TekxUi-SQKF4N-TekyqD-Tekxqx-SQLetY-TbWjew-SbUxJF-QtKr9Y-ShQ9iM-RcbnoP

NATOSource

Apr 3, 2017

Is Trump Actually Good for NATO?

By Barbara Plett Usher, BBC

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told me last week that his job has in some ways been made easier by US President Donald Trump.

NATO Security & Defense
https://www.flickr.com/photos/latvianmfa/33146029736/in/photolist-Sv14Rj-Rh2q3J-Sv166y-Sv15rh-RYTUZs-RjE6TF-RYTUHq-RjE6EV-SjRN1U-Sv16YL-Rh2qJo-Sv14iL-RjwGh6-Snh2GF-RgTzUd-SymQpi-RgEr4o-RjiVG8-RjiWh6-SymRk6-Sn4ktD-RgEseE-RgErWL-Sn4jMP-Sn4kS4-SuFw8f-Sks6kz-RWUyrJ-T12T4i-SWpUgu-SWpUv7-SNFBRB-SWpUUU-Rf2wM7-St3JzQ-RWUxCQ-SWpTBJ-SNFBze-SNFBHa-SNFBqr-SNFBhR-SNFB94-SWpVtE-SWpV9b-SmoygL-SdHGxR-SqdxvT-SdHGG8-RQk8VG-RQk8Pj

NATOSource

Apr 3, 2017

German Foreign Minister Challenges US Demands on NATO Defense Spending

By Sigmar Gabriel, German Foreign Ministry

The Alliance is at a crossroads and faces multiple challenges in and around Europe. In view of these challenges, a strong transatlantic bond is key!

Germany NATO
https://www.flickr.com/photos/statephotos/33368550190/

NATOSource

Apr 3, 2017

Trump Administration Gives NATO A Deadline on Defense Spending

By Rex Tillerson, Department of State

Good morning, Secretary General and my fellow ministers, and thank you for the opportunity to speak.

NATO Security & Defense

Report

Mar 29, 2017

Europe in 2022: alternative futures

By Mathew Burrows and Frances Burwell

Sixty years after the signing of the Treaty of Rome, Europe faces its greatest challenges, and possibly its sharpest turning point, since World War II. In this report, Europe in 2022: Alternative Futures, Frances Burwell’s transatlantic expertise joins Mathew Burrows’ deft trends analysis to offer a sobering look at the possible future for Europe with the hope of reigniting the bond between Americans and Europeans so that we may build a better future together.

Central Europe Eastern Europe

Experts