NATO Unveils Billions in Arms Deals on Ankara Summit's First Day

NATO leaders began unveiling arms deals worth tens of billions of dollars on the first day of the Ankara Summit.

The leaders held a combined signing ceremony on stage.

Secretary General Mark Rutte announced a series of initiatives, saying "we can do more when we do it together. And we must do more of it," as NATO allies join new multinational procurement coalitions.

Northrop, Saab Deals Take Center Stage

The announcements on the first day included European countries buying surveillance drones from U.S. company Northrop Grumman and NATO purchasing aircraft from Sweden's Saab to eventually replace its aging AWACS fleet with the GlobalEye system.

Rutte said NATO allies will invest more than $40 billion over five years in anti-drone capabilities.

Possible F-35 Shift for Türkiye

Donald Trump is expected to tell Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan that he is prepared to allow Türkiye to rejoin the F-35 stealth fighter program, according to the New York Times.

This may reverse a sore point in bilateral ties, since Washington sanctioned Türkiye and removed it from the program after its 2019 acquisition of Russia's S-400 air defense system.

Rutte called for "a transatlantic defense industrial revolution," saying "the hum of machinery must become a roar," and urged governments to keep placing long-term orders and signing contracts to sustain the buildup.

Iran War Strained Alliance Ties

Tensions within NATO have deepened since the U.S. attacked Iran in February, with Trump repeatedly threatening to quit the alliance or disregard its collective defense pact over what he calls insufficient member support.

European officials say they honored commitments on airspace and base access despite not being consulted on the war.

The U.S. has also announced troop withdrawals from Europe and launched a six-month review of its military presence there.

A €70 billion pledge for Ukraine in 2026 is also expected to be reaffirmed by NATO members, underscoring commitments that took on new urgency after Monday's Russian missile and drone assault on the Kyiv region.