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/latvijas_armija/21503149412/in/photolist-yLagao-yJPSBq-yuChrF-yM9fHk-yLaaY1-yJPMEb-yJPMtj-yuCfqr-yuxtYY-rYH7BZ-rYyWSJ-riYHG7-sfYTAB-rYoy23-rjbcXT-rYoxGq-rWDLgK-rYoxfy-sfW45t-rYowFh-riYFyj-sfW3gK-rjbb1M-zMQgad-A8FUKp-SgyPKb-S6uFC3-rYpCGW-sfPZeq-rWDGQ6-sfVZKT-rYot4C-rYwAdT-sfYMZr-rYm8AU-rYueLe-sfTCNg-sfMARy-riWeXU-rYuciD-rYucev-rWBioF-rYm4rG-rYm4cJ-sfWp6V-rYu8FZ-rWBfnv-rWwgh6-riRbyE-rwUoFL

NATOSource

Mar 3, 2017

Russian Cyberhacks Could be an Act of Aggression, says NATO Chief

By Deborah Haynes, Times (London)

Fake news, cyberhacks and political coercion by Russia could be deemed acts of aggression by Nato, the top British officer in the alliance has indicated.

NATO Russia
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nrdc-ita/15658057112/in/photolist-pRDCRW-8vSuYa-8vSqRF-c4wry3-nhJtCp-8vVzbY-8vSiqc-5Gv6Zj-8vSscB-8vSigH-8vVmEW-djdw8X-8vSvBX-8vStXR-8vSr1x-8vSqGF-8vSwtx-8vVknj-o9BUcE-8vSeAV-8vVt6f-8vSs1F-8vVz7s-8vVvzw-8vVq1u-8vShk2-8vVows-dUCnSP-bgJCWK-8vVdB9-8vVhaG-5Vqipy-p6VYET-8vVijG-8vSg52-8vSmGH-8vSn14-8vShP6-8vShsv-bgJEYP-dxwtkh-por7tF-42jCkZ-8vSxc8-8vSvxz-pRzqpT-por6ki-8vVzid-cb8TRN-p6WgpA

NATOSource

Mar 3, 2017

NATO and the EU Need ‘Grand Strategy’ to Resist Putin, says General

By Sam Jones, Financial Times

Nato cannot deter Russia alone and must formulate a “grand strategy” for security in Europe with the EU, the alliance’s highest-ranking operational European officer has warned.

European Union International Organizations
https://www.flickr.com/photos/aereimilitariorg/3955371757/in/photolist-72wjdM-72AjV1-jXEngc-72wjaV-72Ajn1-72wj98-72AjaL-72wjix-72Ajuj-72wjga-HvT8g-72wj34-72AjSb-72wjs6-72AjsC-72Ajrf-72wiMV-72AjFQ-72Ajgy-72AjBw-6f6fDq-72AjAf-72Aj8u-72wj4M-72Ajdu-f9jD52-FR7Qzh-gdwzBS-G84Zj3-HwmrC-72wjkK-5dnvTb-72Ajk1-6f6fDw-72wiVD-6UnJPm-f9ySoq-24Qj1n-6xd51b-a4jf64-e7cDaV-e7cBhP-rWLfV7-fDYsVG-e7igbj-4v6bR3-6c4bbf-fCG4Ey-f9ySkQ-9BDa1q

NATOSource

Mar 2, 2017

Russia Buzzed NATO Aircraft Four Times in a Single Day

By Stephen Losey, Defense News

NATO aircraft had four close encounters with Russian planes in separate incidents on Feb. 10, the Air Force’s top general in charge of its forces in Europe said Thursday.

NATO Russia
President Donald Trump, Feb. 28, 2017

NATOSource

Mar 1, 2017

Trump: ‘America is Once Again Ready to Lead’

By Donald Trump, White House

What we are witnessing today is the renewal of the American spirit. Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead.

NATO Security & Defense

In the News

Mar 1, 2017

Braw in Foreign Affairs: NATO’s Enormous Arms Clutter

By Elisabeth Braw

Read the full article here.

NATO Security & Defense
https://www.flickr.com/photos/secdef/32795079581/in/photolist-QSrXtf-RXZmAz-QSrY8m-RYZgzB-RZp7tx-RVgA67-RXYdfZ-QSr2E3-QSmLL3-QSmMcd-RWK7K3-RWK7US-RZnrGr-RZnrYZ

NATOSource

Feb 28, 2017

Britain’s Defense Capabilities and the Future of Transatlantic Security

By Steve McCarthy

Last week, UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon stood alongside US Defense Secretary James Mattis as they reaffirmed our countries’ commitment to NATO

NATO Security & Defense
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nato/5566880409/in/album-72157626206622385/

NATOSource

Feb 27, 2017

A Stronger NATO for a Safer World

By Joseph Whited and Alex Gallo, The Hill

Given the level of effort that the United States has put into reinvigorating its involvement in European security, it is understandable that the president and the American people expect our allies to meet their treaty requirements.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

New Atlanticist

Feb 24, 2017

Don’t Expect a New NATO Strategic Concept Any Time Soon

By Stanley Sloan

The uncertainty created by US President Donald Trump’s questioning of whether the Alliance remains in the US’ interest has stalled the production of a new NATO strategic concept. The last NATO strategic concept—the Alliance’s consensus statement on the threats and intended responses—was agreed in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2010. In 2016, some astute observers suggested that […]

NATO Security & Defense
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bundeswehrfoto/25905310212/

NATOSource

Feb 24, 2017

Russia’s Information Warfare Targets German Soldiers in Lithuania

By Deutsche Welle

Earlier this month, outside influences, again widely believed to be Russian, tried to replicate the success of the “Lisa” faux-scandal in Lithuania.

Germany NATO
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bundeswehrfoto/23183380955/in/photolist-v2XDvq-v3JRFg-v2XBRT-u6rGBG-v3sRiZ-uKSHDs-v2Yixs-v2XDMB-v2XRFN-u5QaYM-v3sZLk-u6rLk3-v19izN-v3swXv-uL1aQ2-uKSD1E-v3JNdp-v18Neo-BjCTsK-AHNjxi-uxPyrY-uPWjuy-uxX8iM-tTyncg-uxPqfu-uPWjVJ

NATOSource

Feb 24, 2017

Amid Growing Threats, Germany Plans to Expand Troop Numbers to Nearly 200,000

By Robbie Gramer, Foreign Policy

Germany is slowly shedding its reluctance to wield military power, announcing Wednesday it would boost the size of its armed forces to nearly 200,000 over the next seven years.

Germany NATO

Experts