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

Russian War Report: DFRLab confirms Russia’s push to encircle Bakhmut

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
Russian War Report: DFRLab confirms Russia’s push to encircle Bakhmut

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
Russian War Report: DFRLab confirms Russia’s push to encircle Bakhmut

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
Russian War Report: DFRLab confirms Russia’s push to encircle Bakhmut

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
Russian War Report: DFRLab confirms Russia’s push to encircle Bakhmut

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
Russian War Report: DFRLab confirms Russia’s push to encircle Bakhmut

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

Bakhmut Situation Report, February 10, 2023

New Atlanticist

Feb 10, 2023

Russian War Report: DFRLab confirms Russia’s push to encircle Bakhmut

By Valentin Châtelet, Ruslan Trad, Kateryna Halstead, Nika Aleksejeva

Wagner Group soldiers are attempting to encircle Bakhmut, Ukraine. Meanwhile on the southern flank, Russian armed forces are trying to consolidate their progression towards Ivaniske.

Conflict Defense Technologies

New Atlanticist

Feb 9, 2023

The view from European capitals on Zelenskyy’s trip across the continent

By Atlantic Council experts

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy zipped from London to Paris to Brussels this week. His message to leaders and lawmakers was more military aid is needed.

Crisis Management Defense Policy

New Atlanticist

Feb 8, 2023

Decoding Finland’s options for NATO accession

By Rasmus Hindrén

While It is not impossible to envision a potential future where Finland joins NATO before Sweden, decoupling the accessions is a bad idea for both defense and broader strategic reasons.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

New Atlanticist

Feb 7, 2023

What would happen if Sweden and Finland split up their NATO bids?

By Eric Adamson and Minna Ålander

Finland proceeding without Sweden should be a last resort because of all the strategic and logistical difficulties it would create.

Conflict Europe & Eurasia

Atlantic Debrief

Feb 7, 2023

#AtlanticDebrief – Where does Germany stand on military support for Ukraine? | A Debrief with Bojan Pancevski

Rachel Rizzo sits down with Wall Street Journal's Germany Correspondent Bojan Pancevski to assess Germany's record on military support for Ukraine and leadership in Europe.

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Feb 7, 2023

Wieslander on Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences Podcast

Anna Wieslander spoke with the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences about the report “How allied Sweden and Finland can secure Northern Europe.”

NATO Northern Europe

New Atlanticist

Feb 6, 2023

<strong>NATO is entering a new phase in the Indo-Pacific</strong>

By Sara Bjerg Moller

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's visit to Japan and South Korea trip was striking both for its timing and for its messaging shift on China.

China East Asia

In the News

Feb 4, 2023

Brzezinski in Radio Gdansk on the pace of deliveries of tanks to Ukraine (in Polish)

Brzezinski in Radio Gdansk. On February 4, TSI Senior Fellow Ian Brzezinski was quoted in Radio Gdansk discussing that sending tanks to Ukraine shows strong support for Ukraine, but the pace of their deliveries as well as the level of the aid will be crucial.

Defense Policy NATO

In the News

Feb 4, 2023

Jeglinskas in 15min.lt on Ukraine’s fight for democracy (in Lithuanian)

Jeglinskas in 15min.lt. On February 4, TSI NRSF Giedrimas Jeglinskas was interviewed for 15min.lt discussing that Ukraine is fighting not only its own survival existential but for all our democracies (text in Lithuanian).

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Feb 3, 2023

Deni in Middle East Forum on Turkey’s exploitation of the consensus-based decision making process in NATO

Deni in Middle East Forum. On February 3, TSI NRSF Dr. John R. Deni was quoted discussing some steps that Washington could signal to Ankara and Deni’s opinion that Turkey is exploiting NATO’s consensus-based decision-making process to extract concessions from Finland and Sweden.

Defense Policy NATO
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Experts

Staff

Lisa Homel

Associate Director

Europe Center

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Richard D. Hooker, Jr.

Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia National Security

Fellow

LeAnne Noelani Howard

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

James Hursch

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Fellow

Beniamino Irdi

Former Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Disinformation English

Fellow

David Julazadeh

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Technologies English
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