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

NATO Allies Helping France Respond to Paris Attacks

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

NATO Allies Helping France Respond to Paris Attacks

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

NATO Allies Helping France Respond to Paris Attacks

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

NATO Allies Helping France Respond to Paris Attacks

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

NATO Allies Helping France Respond to Paris Attacks

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

NATO Allies Helping France Respond to Paris Attacks

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

Minute of silence at NATO headquarters in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris, Nov. 16, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 16, 2015

NATO Allies Helping France Respond to Paris Attacks

By NATO

We have just held a minute of silence at NATO in memory of the victims of the barbaric terrorist attacks in Paris. Allies stand together with France in sorrow and solidarity. We condemn these attacks in the strongest terms.

France NATO

In the News

Nov 16, 2015

Ullman: Rejuvenate NATO Now!

By Harlan Ullman

Atlantic Council Senior Adviser Harlan Ullman writes for United Press International on the need for a revitalized NATO to confront the challenges currently facing the alliance:

NATO Security & Defense
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, November 9, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 12, 2015

NATO to Step Up Military Presence in Nordics

By Local (Sweden)

Former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg made the comments while visiting Stockholm for the first time since becoming Nato’s new Secretary General last year, taking over from fellow Scandinavian, Denmark’s Anders Fogh Rasmussen….

NATO Northern Europe
Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, Oct. 13, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 9, 2015

US Military Officials Aim to Bolster Troop Presence in Europe

By Julian E. Barnes and Gordon Lubold, Wall Street Journal

Senior U.S. military leaders have proposed sending more forces into Europe on a rotating basis to build up the American presence and are stepping up training exercises to counter potential Russian interference with troop transfers in the event of a crisis with Moscow….

Europe & Eurasia NATO
NATO warships participating in Trident Juncture exercise, Oct. 29, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 5, 2015

NATO to Reinforce its Mediterranean Presence

By Sam Jones, Financial Times

Nato will outline proposals next month for a new “southern strategy” in response to mounting instability across the Middle East and Russia’s growing military presence south of the Bosphorus….

Iraq Libya
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Nov. 4, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 4, 2015

President of Romania Tells NATO to Keep Its Attention on the Eastern Flank

By Romanian News Agency

“[E]astern flank countries are determined to play a quite important role within NATO structures, and we also want to underscore the importance of the eastern flank in the continuously changing geopolitical situation.

Central Europe NATO
Leaders of nine NATO states meeting in Bucharest, Nov. 4, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 4, 2015

Nine Heads of State Call on Alliance to ‘Strengthen the Eastern Flank of NATO’

By Calea Europeana

“We, the Presidents of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Estonia, Hungary, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Poland, Romania and the Slovak Republic and the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

Central Europe Hungary
Russian President Vladimir Putin, August 17, 2015

NATOSource

Nov 3, 2015

Putin’s Tragic Miscalculation

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Project Syndicate

The truth is that the young democracies of Central and Eastern Europe sought to join the EU and NATO – and worked hard to gain membership – because they longed for peace, progress, and prosperity.

European Union International Organizations

Webcasts

Oct 30, 2015

Remarks by H.E. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Vice Prime Minister Of Georgia

By Atlantic Council

NATO Russia

Transcript

Oct 30, 2015

Transcript: Evolving Security Environment and Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic Aspirations

By Atlantic Council

Evolving Security Environment and Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic Aspirations   Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia   Atlantic Council – 29 October, 2015 Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the Atlantic Council of the United States for this opportunity to speak to a distinguished group of policy-makers, businessmen, experts, and […]

NATO Russia
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Experts

Fellow

Kyle Atwell

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Colombia

Fellow

David Auerswald

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Staff

James Batchik

Deputy Director, EU Programs and Operations

Europe Center

Central Europe Digital Policy

Fellow

Andrew Bernard

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

NATO Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Hans Binnendijk

Distinguished Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Sara Bjerg Moller

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Danish Europe & Eurasia
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