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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared the conclusion of a two-day NATO summit in Ankara a historic turning point for the alliance, saying European nations are shouldering greater responsibility for their own defense and forging a fairer partnership with the United States.
"As of today, NATO is more European than ever," Merz told reporters in the Turkish capital Wednesday. "And yet, it remains firmly anchored in the transatlantic partnership."
The Ankara gathering brought together allied leaders at a moment of heightened scrutiny over burden-sharing within the 32-member bloc, amid longstanding pressure from Washington for European capitals to spend more on defense.
Merz said European nations are moving quickly to meet spending targets agreed at last year's summit in The Hague, a pace he described as strengthening NATO's collective deterrence while easing the financial imbalance with Washington. The push reflects a broader shift underway across the continent, where several governments have significantly raised defense budgets following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
"We have taken an important step forward on the path to the new NATO," Merz said, adding that the summit had made a significant contribution to keeping the alliance united and making it stronger.
One of the more striking aspects of the summit, according to Merz, was the posture of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized European allies over what he has characterized as insufficient defense contributions. In Ankara, Merz said, Trump struck a notably different tone.
"President Trump participated in all of today's discussions without exception, remaining in the meeting room the entire time," Merz said. He added that Trump demonstrated "great empathy" and was "very aware" of conditions facing smaller member states, listening closely to their representatives throughout the sessions.
Despite skepticism in the lead-up to the gathering, Merz said the summit ultimately delivered a positive outcome for all members. He returned to Berlin, he said, with a sense of confidence that the alliance had taken meaningful steps forward.
"Together we are doing what we set out to do: serve peace and freedom in the world," Merz said.
The Ankara summit is the latest in a series of high-level NATO gatherings aimed at recalibrating the alliance's structure and commitments as the security landscape in Europe continues to evolve.
Hosting the summit marks a prominent moment for Türkiye, a key NATO member that has at times played a mediating role within the alliance on contentious issues.
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