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

Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz , Nov. 21, 2015

NATOSource

Dec 18, 2015

Poland Raids NATO Center in Warsaw

By Financial Times, Bloomberg News, and Defense News

From Henry Foy, Financial Times: Poland has replaced the head of a NATO-affiliated facility in Warsaw during a midnight raid by defence ministry officials and military police on its office, in the latest move by the country’s new government to take control of state agencies.

Central Europe Intelligence
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu & Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Nov. 30. 2015

NATOSource

Dec 18, 2015

NATO Sending Planes and Ships to Strengthen Turkey’s Air Defenses

By Robin Emmott, Reuters

NATO allies agreed on Friday to send aircraft and ships to Turkey to strengthen Ankara’s air defences on its border with Syria, the alliance’s chief said, a package that is partly designed to avoid any more shoot-downs of Russian planes.

NATO Russia
Secretary of Defense (at the time) Chuck Hagel, April 4, 2013

NATOSource

Dec 18, 2015

Hagel Critiques Obama’s Policies on Syria and Russia

By Dan De Luce, Foreign Policy

[At the time Secretary of Defence Chuck] Hagel wrote a two-page memo to [National Security Advisor Susan] Rice and [Secretary of State John] Kerry — and copied the president — saying the administration needed to decide on its approach to the conflict in Syria and its stance toward the Assad regime.

NATO Russia
NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Gen. Denis Mercier

NATOSource

Dec 15, 2015

NATO Commander: Alliance Must Adapt To Evolving Geostrategic Threats

By Denis Mercier, Defense News

A major shift has taken place in our geopolitical and security environment.

NATO NATO Partnerships
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Dec. 2, 2015

NATOSource

Dec 14, 2015

NATO Chief Stoltenberg: ‘Now Is the Time To Invest in Our Defense’

By Jens Stoltenberg, Defense News

We are facing the biggest security challenges in a generation. They are complex, interrelated and come from many directions.

NATO Russia
Norwegian Defense Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide, June 25, 2014

NATOSource

Dec 14, 2015

Norway’s Defense Minister: It’s Time to Boost NATO’s Maritime Profile

By Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide, Defense News

We need to raise NATO’s profile in the maritime domain. This requires maritime power and presence.

Europe & Eurasia NATO
SACEUR Gen. Philip Breedlove, May 21, 2015

NATOSource

Dec 11, 2015

SACEUR Breedlove Looks Back as He Charts NATO’s New Path

By John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes

For NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Philip Breedlove, the intelligence coming into his headquarters pointed to a watershed moment for European security, but not everyone wanted to see it that way.

NATO Russia

In the News

Dec 11, 2015

Benitez on UN-Russian Relations

By Jorge Benitez

Stars and Stripes quotes Brent Scowcroft Center Senior Fellow and NATOSource Director Jorge Benitez on NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Phillip Breedlove’s approach toward Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s intervention in Ukraine:

NATO Russia
Gen. Ben Hodges, Commander of US Army Europe, Dec. 9, 2015

NATOSource

Dec 10, 2015

Russia Could Block Access to Baltic Sea, US General Says

By Defense One, Defense News, and Army News Service

From Marcus Weisgerber, Defense One:  Russia has moved ballistic missiles to and conducted nuclear strike drills from its Kaliningrad exclave, prompting Pentagon fears that Moscow could block access to the Baltic Sea.

Central Europe Hungary
Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, March 25, 2014

NATOSource

Dec 9, 2015

NATO Moves Forward with Montenegro

By Janusz Bugajski & Srdjan Darmanovic, American Interest

Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin has been adamantly opposed to further NATO enlargement. Following NATO’s invitation to Montenegro, Russian officials immediately asserted that they would be forced to react.

NATO Russia

Experts