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World leaders, senior delegations and members of the international press have gathered in Ankara as the 36th NATO Summit gets underway at a pivotal moment for the transatlantic alliance.
Hosted by Türkiye, the summit brings together leaders of NATO's 32 member states, Asia-Pacific partners and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks on defense investment, military production, support for Ukraine, regional security and burden-sharing.
The gathering opened with the NATO Defense Industry Forum on Tuesday, the largest such event in the alliance's history, bringing together government officials and defense companies to strengthen cooperation on defense production, procurement and industrial capacity.
As leaders continued to arrive in the Turkish capital, U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Ankara ahead of the summit's main sessions. During his first address at the Presidential Complex before a bilateral meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump vowed to lift CAATSA sanctions on Türkiye and boosted hopes of bringing Türkiye back into the F-35 program.
On Wednesday, leaders will gather for the main session of the summit. Following the traditional family photo, they will hold a meeting of the North Atlantic Council.
Ahead of the leaders' session, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters that he expects allies to reaffirm their call for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while describing the U.S-Iran strikes on Iran as "absolutely necessary." He also stressed that U.S. President Donald Trump remains "fully committed" to NATO.
Rutte is scheduled to hold a press conference after the summit.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar on Wednesday said Budapest will not support new military assistance for Ukraine ahead of the NATO leaders' summit in Ankara.
Speaking to reporters before the summit's main session, Magyar argued that the alliance should focus on strengthening its own defenses rather than approving additional arms support for Kyiv.
Ukraine remains high on the summit agenda, with allied leaders expected to discuss continued military assistance, defense production, long-term security commitments, higher defense spending and broader regional security challenges.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Wednesday that Denmark is prepared to defend Greenland if it comes under attack, reaffirming Copenhagen's commitment to the Arctic island ahead of the NATO Leaders Summit in Ankara.
"We are ready to defend every inch of NATO," Frederiksen told reporters when asked whether Denmark would militarily defend Greenland, reiterating her rejection of U.S. President Donald Trump's renewed proposal for the United States to take control of the island.
Her comments followed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte's remarks that alliance leaders would discuss Arctic security during the summit and must ensure Russia and China do not gain greater influence in the region, adding that "a good process" is underway regarding Greenland.
Frederiksen also identified European rearmament and strengthening NATO's defense industrial base as the summit's top priorities.
She said allies must accelerate defense production and expand industrial capacity to meet the alliance's new capability targets as leaders prepare to discuss higher defense spending, regional security and continued support for Ukraine during the main session of the summit.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday he expects alliance leaders to reaffirm that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon and call for the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, as NATO leaders gathered in Ankara for their summit's main session.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the meeting, Rutte described the recent strikes on Iran as "absolutely necessary" and said allies would also discuss safeguarding freedom of navigation through the strategically vital waterway after weeks of disruption linked to the Iran conflict.
Rutte also stressed that U.S. President Donald Trump remains "fully committed" to NATO, while reiterating that it is fair to expect European allies and Canada to match Washington's defense spending efforts. He said Washington's commitment to the alliance comes alongside expectations that other members shoulder a greater share of the security burden.
Addressing Arctic security, Rutte said a "good process" is underway regarding Greenland, adding that NATO allies must ensure Russia and China do not gain greater strategic access to the region amid growing geopolitical competition.
NATO heads of state and government gather on Wednesday at the Presidential Complex in Ankara for the main session of the 36th NATO Leaders Summit, hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
The day's program begins with doorstep statements, with Rutte speaking at 8:00 a.m. followed by allied leaders at 8:15 a.m. An official welcome ceremony starts at 10:45 a.m., after which leaders will pose for the traditional family photo at 11:00 a.m.
The summit's main session, the North Atlantic Council meeting at the level of heads of state and government, is scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m. Leaders are expected to discuss defense spending, military production, support for Ukraine, regional security and other key alliance priorities.
Rutte will hold a press conference at 3:00 p.m. at the Main Press Theater inside the International Media Center at the Presidential Complex, while allied leaders are expected to begin their own media briefings from 3:30 p.m. onward.
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