NATO Ankara Summit Declaration: Emphasis on Collective Defense and Military Support to Ukraine

NATO heads of state and government announced the declaration of the summit held in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Turkey, which hosted the summit, took on the task of hosting this important meeting for the second time in history, following the meeting held in Istanbul in 2004. At the meeting, it was emphasized that an unwavering commitment to collective defense, the cornerstone of the alliance, was demonstrated by all members. According to the declaration text, it was once again reminded that an attack on any NATO member would be considered an attack on all alliance members. In this context, the central importance of concepts such as unity, solidarity, and collective strength in ensuring international peace and stability was addressed.

In the published declaration, detailed assessments were made regarding Europe-based threats and global security dynamics. It was stated that Russia is perceived as a long-term threat by the alliance, and it was expressed that this situation requires the continuous strengthening of defense capabilities. Additionally, it was decided to increase joint operational capacities to combat terrorism and solve other increasingly complex security problems. It was announced that member countries will develop joint strategies to be more resilient against next-generation cyber threats and hybrid warfare techniques. It was clarified that the alliance will continuously update its defense and deterrence policies to keep pace with the rapid changes in the global security environment.

One of the most striking issues announced after the summit was that European member countries and Canada have made massive increases in their defense budgets. In this context, it was stated that defense expenditures were increased by more than 139 billion dollars in 2025, and that this figure reflects the alliance's determination regarding security. It was recorded that member countries have signed new defense purchases exceeding 50 billion dollars in order to modernize their armies and expand their defense industry capacities. It was announced that steps will be taken to accelerate defense industry cooperation, remove bureaucratic barriers to trade between countries, and integrate technological innovations into the field more quickly. These steps are considered to both revitalize local industries and increase equipment compatibility among allies.

The alliance's plans regarding future warfare technologies and military capabilities also took up significant space in the declaration. It was emphasized that member states will increase investments in modern military technologies such as long-range precision strike systems, air and missile defense networks, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Announced as one of the fundamental elements of defense plans, it was stated that emphasis will be placed on the use of artificial intelligence-based systems to establish jointly usable military digital infrastructures. Through this, it is aimed to further develop intelligence gathering and analysis capacities and accelerate decision-making processes. It was decided to support military innovation in collaboration with the civilian sector and to make the defense ecosystem more agile.

Emphasizing the importance of Ukraine's contributions to regional security, it was stated that support for the Kyiv administration will continue uninterrupted and that this is highly strategic. It was announced that alliance countries will provide a comprehensive aid of 70 billion euros for military equipment and training to Ukraine throughout 2026, and that they are determined to provide a similar level of support in 2027. It was emphasized that this process welcomes the European Union's decision to provide multi-year financial support to Ukraine. Finally, a joint call was made to the international community stating that Iran's efforts to acquire nuclear weapons are absolutely unacceptable and that maritime trade and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be protected.