NATO

NATO

From July 7 to 8, 2026, heads of state and government  gathered at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, where allies sought to capitalize on the success of 2025’s landmark defense spending pledge and begin converting cash into capabilities. Check out our commentary, analysis, and events covering the convening and our latest analysis on NATO, courtesy of our experts.

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.

How European NATO allies are stepping up, by the numbers

This year’s NATO Summit takes place at a critical time for the Alliance. With no marquee deliverable like last year, NATO leadership will point to progress from European allies on defense spending, defense industrial production, and aid to Ukraine.

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European allies can boost NATO unity at the Ankara summit by accelerating eastern flank deterrence

Ahead of the upcoming summit, European allies should commit to accelerating their deployment of full-strength combat brigades to the Baltic states by 2027.

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NATO allies need a plan for addressing threats below the threshold of war

NATO should take on a more active role in coordinating the response to attacks below the threshold of war. Specifically, the Alliance should use the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara to establish response options for its member states.

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The Ankara summit is an opportunity for NATO to ramp up engagement with its southern neighborhood

NATO’s engagement with its southern neighborhood has been inconsistent, despite growing security challenges. The Ankara summit offers and opportunity to strengthen dialogue with regional partners and reinforce NATO’s southern strategy.

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Innovation ranges: How NATO can test and deploy cutting-edge capabilities faster

The Ankara summit offers allies an opportunity to absorb the lessons from innovation ranges and revitalize the defense innovation pipeline.

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Civilian infrastructure is now a strategic target. NATO must adapt to protect it.

To help build resilience, NATO allies should integrate Nordic, Baltic, and Ukrainian “total defense” practices into NATO planning and exercises.

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Europe should take the long bet on the US and the transatlantic security relationship

At the upcoming Ankara summit, European allies should underscore their increased defense spending and their tangible contributions to shared security.

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How NATO can strengthen the transatlantic defense industrial base in Ankara and beyond

The NATO Summit in Ankara is an opportunity to advance a stronger, more integrated transatlantic defense industrial base.

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Europe’s no-panic playbook for a radically different US foreign policy

NATO and the EU need to make significant, lasting changes in response to Trump 2.0 national security policy–quickly, and ideally in coordination with Washington.

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NATO’s new Arctic presence shows that European allies are stepping up

Heading into the Ankara summit, the Arctic region offers a prime example of where European allies are stepping up and laying the groundwork for deeper cooperation.

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More European NATO allies should step up help to Ukraine through PURL

NATO’s Ankara summit is an opportunity for allies to expand participation in the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), which funds US-made military equipment for Ukraine.

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NATO can emerge from the Ankara summit stronger. Here’s how.

Allies can strengthen the Alliance by continuing to increase defense spending, accelerating joint capability development, and sustaining their support for Ukraine.

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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

Updating NATO’s maritime strategy

Dispatches Jul 9, 2026

Eleven takeaways from the NATO Summit in Ankara 

By Atlantic Council experts

Atlantic Council experts break down the most important developments coming out of the Ankara summit.
Defense Industry Defense Policy
Updating NATO’s maritime strategy

Fast Thinking Jul 8, 2026

Was the NATO Summit a success?

By Atlantic Council

Atlantic Council experts break down an eventful two days in Ankara.
NATO Security & Defense
Updating NATO’s maritime strategy

Dispatches Jul 2, 2026

Civilian infrastructure is now a strategic target. NATO must adapt to protect it.

Allies must preserve the ability to move, reinforce, sustain, communicate, mobilize, and, if necessary, fight under conditions of disruption.
Europe & Eurasia NATO
Updating NATO’s maritime strategy

Dispatches Jul 2, 2026

Europe should take the long bet on the US and the transatlantic security relationship

By Ian Brzezinski, Philippe Dickinson

In Ankara, European leaders must seize the opportunity to reinforce the long-term foundations of the Alliance.
Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia
Updating NATO’s maritime strategy

Dispatches Jun 23, 2026

How European NATO allies are stepping up, by the numbers

By Kristen Taylor, Matt Trunkey

Expect NATO leadership to focus on three main issues: defense spending, defense industrial production, and aid to Ukraine.
Defense Industry Defense Policy
Updating NATO’s maritime strategy

Dispatches Jun 17, 2026

NATO’s southern flank is exposed. Portugal can help fortify it.

By Randi Charno Levine

The Alliance was not designed to focus only on its easter flank. Vulnerabilities to NATO’s south are accumulating faster than strategy is adapting.
Maritime Security NATO

FEATURED EVENTS

Private Event Thu, June 25, 2026 • 1:45 pm ET

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the Ankara Summit Agenda

AN AC FRONT PAGE EVENT—NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte lays out his priorities for the upcoming Ankara summit.

Central Europe Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia European Union
Public Event Wed, June 17, 2026 • 3:30 pm ET

Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis on the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara

AN AC FRONT PAGE EVENT—The Atlantic Council hosts Senators Shaheen and Tillis for a conversation on the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara.
Europe & Eurasia NATO Security & Defense
Public Event Tue, April 28, 2026 • 10:15 am ET

Belgium’s defense minister on the future of transatlantic security relations

Minister of Defense of Belgium Theo Francken shares his views on transatlantic security developments and Belgium’s role in Europe’s growing defense industry.
Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia NATO Politics & Diplomacy

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.

Learn more

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.

Learn more

Content

Issue Brief

Jul 5, 2016

Updating NATO’s maritime strategy

By STEVEN HORRELL, MAGNUS NORDENMAN, WALTER B. SLOCOMBE

On the eve of the 2016 Warsaw Summit, NATO faces a new and challenging security environment dominated by a revanchist Russia increasingly willing to challenge the West and turbulence and violence across the Mediterranean’s southern rim. In this new security environment, the maritime domains around Europe are potential friction zones and where these challenges increasingly […]

Europe & Eurasia Maritime Security

New Atlanticist

Jul 5, 2016

NATO should stand up Black Sea Command before it’s too late

By Ariel Cohen

The Black Sea is a sensitive, vital, and somewhat neglected region that Russia has attempted to dominate since the last quarter of the eighteenth century, when Catherine the Great and Grigory Potemkin controlled its northern shores and occupied Crimea.

Maritime Security NATO

In the News

Jul 5, 2016

Benitez Quoted by ABC on NATO’s Response to Russia

By Jorge Benitez

Read the full article here.

NATO Russia

In the News

Jul 5, 2016

Benitez Quoted by Stars & Stripes on the Credibility of NATO Deterrence

By Jorge Benitez

Read the full article here.

NATO Russia

In the News

Jul 5, 2016

Atlantic Council Report Restoring the Power and Purpose of the NATO Alliance Featured by RFE/RL

By Jones and Burns

Read the full article here.

NATO Security & Defense

In the News

Jul 4, 2016

The New West Berlin: We Need More Europe

Frederick Kempe, president and CEO of the Atlantic Council, spoke in an interview with Agnieszka Niezgoda.

NATO Security & Defense
NATO exercise Trident Juncture, Nov. 4, 2015

NATOSource

Jul 4, 2016

NATO Summit Special Series: Spain and Portugal

By Alex Ward

NATO’s focus eastward, while important, is no longer sufficient for the future safety of allies, partners, and other European states.

Cybersecurity NATO
Latvian soldier participating in exercise Saber Strike, June 5, 2013

NATOSource

Jul 3, 2016

NATO Summit Special Series: Estonia and Latvia

By Jorge Benitez

After recent terrorists attacks in Europe and the crisis of so many refugees fleeing conflicts in North Africa and the Middle East, this NATO summit is important

NATO Northern Europe
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Dec. 17, 2015

NATOSource

Jul 3, 2016

NATO Summit Special Series: Ukraine

By Alina Polyakova

Ukraine will likely be at the center of the NATO summit in Warsaw.

NATO NATO Partnerships
A US B-52, two Polish F-16s, two German Eurofighters, four Swedish Gripens, and four US F-16s, June 14, 2016

NATOSource

Jul 2, 2016

NATO Summit Special Series: United States

By Kori Schake

If it feels like NATO is perpetually preparing for or having a summit meeting, that is true.

Germany NATO
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Experts

Fellow

Paolo Messa

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Leo Michel

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia European Union

Fellow

Andrew A. Michta

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Central Europe Eastern Europe

Fellow

Rebecca R. Moore

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Executive Leadership Intensive participant

Ioana Moraru 

Policy Officer, NATO

Millennium Leadership Program

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Fellow

Jason C. Moyer

Nonresident Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia NATO
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