Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- NATO leaders reiterate their commitment to Article 5 in summit declaration
- They also point to defense spending and capability boosts, promise further assistance for Ukraine, and say Iran must open the Strait of Hormuz
- Donald Trump says the ceasefire deal with Iran ‘is over’ and threatened to cut trade with Spain
- Denmark’s PM says Greenland is not for sale in response to Trump’s demands for the territory
- NATO chief Mark Rutte says latest US strikes on Iran ‘absolutely necessary’
- Billions worth of defense acquisitions have been announced, with NATO purchasing Saab warning aircraft, Canada purchasing subs from Germany’s TKMS, the UK buying missiles from Lockheed Martin, and more
Below you can read a roundup of developments from the summit taking place in Turkey on Tuesday, July 7, and Wednesday, July 8.
Tired of missing our real-time updates? Click here to add us as a Preferred Source on Google. Then tap the “Star” or “Preferred” to keep DW News at the top of your feed.
Skip next section Trump hails ‘tremendous unity,’ says leaders were fawning over him07/08/2026July 8, 2026
Trump hails ‘tremendous unity,’ says leaders were fawning over him
US President Donald Trump has hailed the “tremendous unity” at the NATO summit in Ankara and described it as “tremendously successful.” He also referred to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte as a “tremendous unifier.”
“If there’s one word that comes out of today, it’s unification,” he said in response to a question late in the press conference.
The US president also praised the increases in European defense spending, taking credit for the increased contributions elsewhere in NATO. He said NATO partners were keen to hear about production and delivery timetables for US equipment, lauding its quality.
“I provided other leaders with an update on the steps we’re taking to rapidly scale up production in the United States. And they wanted to hear that, because they don’t really want to get it in four years, five years, they want to get it like in a
week,” he said.
Trump said that NATO partners had been “laughing” at the US two years ago during his predecessor Joe Biden’s term — even though Europe’s defense spending boost began in earnest during that period — before concluding “they’re not laughing now.” He returned to this trope of the US being laughed at under Biden multiple times later in the presentation, including in his final answer.
Trump also told reporters there was a feeling of “love” in the air amid the summit, comments Germany’s Friedrich Merz had singled out as reassuring, albeit before hearing them issued in full.
“I don’t wanna say they love me, as you’ll say ‘oh that’s conceited, you’re such a conceited person,’ but they do,” Trump said. “They said, ‘oh sir, we love you.’ These are grown people saying that! Maybe they’re trying to get to me.”
He went on to discuss tariff incomes and industry spending plans, praising US economic performance, and noting recent developments like Toyota’s plans to open a factory in Texas. He also repeatedly boasted about the popularity of his TikTok account.
Asked about the prospect of conflict with Iran flaring up again, Trump told a reporter that there was no cause for concern. He said that Iran “not having a nuclear weapon” was more important than oil prices and claimed that if he had not been elected president “Iran would have wiped out Israel with a nuclear weapon.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5GmdVSkip next section Greenland’s PM reiterates ‘with dificulty’ that the island is ‘not for sale’07/08/2026July 8, 2026
Greenland’s PM reiterates ‘with dificulty’ that the island is ‘not for sale’
Greenland‘s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen issued a short press release on Wednesday evening as the NATO summit was winding down, appparently a response to Trump’s renewed call for the US to “control” the Arctic island.
“I must repeat with difficulty: Greenland is not for sale,” Nielsen said, writing in the Greenlandic official language Kalaallisut. “Our borders, international law and sovereignty will be respected. The future of Greenland will be decided by us.”
Nielsen said that this would not be changed “by the desire to occupy and control our country.”
The statement made no explicit mention of the US or Donald Trump or events in Ankara but nonetheless the timing and subject matter was conspicuous.
The semi-autonomous island is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. While polls suggest some residents would favor independence at some point, they also suggest that most would oppose becoming part of US territory.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
https://p.dw.com/p/5GmUTSkip next section Merz says not to overestimate Trump’s dissatisfaction, praises Rutte’s NATO leadership07/08/2026July 8, 2026
Merz says not to overestimate Trump’s dissatisfaction, praises Rutte’s NATO leadership
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in his closing comments at the summit that European NATO members had demonstrated how the days of them hitching a free ride within the alliance were “over.”
He also said people should not overstate US President’s Donald Trump’s criticisms, saying that while he doesn’t shy away from voicing dissatisfaction, the US president also “acknowledges the efforts we are making.”
Merz did not have a bilateral meeting with Trump at the summit, but German government sources said he and his wife Charlotte spoke with the president at some length during Tuesday’s dinner at the presidential complex in Ankara.
Merz said that his government had told Trump that it was necessary to reach a “sustainable deal” with Iran to end the conflict, but also that it was Iran that was to blame for the latest violation of the ceasefire agreement.
Merz also hailed NATO chief Mark Rutte calling him “the best man for his time” in the role.
“He is in a position to keep NATO united, with a very charming and very personal and very engaging manner,” Merz said of the longstanding former prime minister of the Netherlands.
The substantive agreements reached at the Ankara summit had been strengthened on site, Merz said, rather than just sticking to what diplomats could agree on ahead of the talks. Rutte’s input had “made this success possible,” he said.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GmI7Skip next section Journalists await Trump’s press conference07/08/2026July 8, 2026
Journalists await Trump’s press conference
Finlay Duncan in Ankara
It’s standing room only as journalists await President Trump’s closing presser in Ankara.
Sure, it’s not the first time we’ve heard from the US Commander in Chief since the NATO summit got underway, but this will be his main remarks at the end of an interesting few hours at the alliance’s annual gathering of leaders.
Some delays to the schedule, but a packed audience awaits…
https://p.dw.com/p/5GmGdSkip next section NATO’s Rutte hails ‘great sense of unity’ at summit07/08/2026July 8, 2026
NATO’s Rutte hails ‘great sense of unity’ at summit
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte hailed a “tremendously successful” summit in his closing press conference, immediately mentioning the “great sense of unity” at the event in his remarks.
“Allies warmly welcomed President Trump’s leadership, that is transforming this Alliance and making it stronger,” Rutte said. “The message from this summit is simple: NATO delivers.”
The former prime minister of the Netherlands went on to describe the commitment in The Hague last year to increase European and Canadian defense spending, and to say this week’s summit had demonstrated “that those commitments are now being put into practice.”
He said that accelerating this process and converting pledges and procurement deals into field-ready equipment and capabilities was the order of business going forward.
Rutte — who was appointed in large part because of his perceived suitability for handling Trump with flattery, but who has also copped considerable criticism at times for his efforts to do so — told reporters the US was “totally right” to renew hostilities with Iran overnight.
He said that Tuesday’s attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz constituted Iran “breaking” the terms of the fragile preliminary truce.
Asked about Trump voicing dissatisfaction over Europe’s cooperation in the war against Iran, Rutte said the complaints related to “isolated cases.” He said that Europe had been a “platform of power projection for the United States,” helping facilitate the conflict with thousands of sorties launched from European bases. Addressing a follow-up question he said he believed both that Trump “was” and “is committed to NATO.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5GmGbSkip next section What else is in the declaration, on defense spending, Ukraine, and Iran? 07/08/2026July 8, 2026
What else is in the declaration, on defense spending, Ukraine, and Iran?
The summit declaration addresses five more points besides Article 5, as follows:
- It emphasizes the 2025 Hague defense commitment to increase spending on core defense requirements by more than $139 billion (roughly €122 billion). It says that “more than $50 billion in new procurements” were confirmed at this week’s summit alone and points to efforts expand manufacturing capacity and “accelerate innovation.”
- Point 3 hails the development of “a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO — a modernized alliance.” It says that European allies and Canada “are assuming greater responsibility for the Alliance’s defense,” before also outlining efforts to modernize and expand the Alliance’s defensive and deployment capabilities, including with use of “uncrewed systems, cutting-edge technologies, and intelligence capabilities.”
- Point 4 pledges further assistance to Ukraine and also stresses how “European allies and Canada now finance the vast majority of security assistance” to the country through bilateral and multilateral means. For 2026, leaders pledge an additional $70 billion in “military equipment, assistance and training.”
- Point 5 seems to address two issues at once that are only moderately interlinked. It starts by saying the Alliance continues to “respond and adapt” to the various challenges of the “broader security environment.” Then it goes from the vague to the granular, saying “Iran must never have a nuclear weapon” and calling on Tehran to “fully respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
- Finally, the declaration expresses “our appreciation for the generous hospitality” extended to NATO delegates in Ankara.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Glr0Skip next section Summit declaration pledges ‘ironclad commitment’ to Article 507/08/2026July 8, 2026
Summit declaration pledges ‘ironclad commitment’ to Article 5
NATO allies have issued a six-point declaration as the summit in Ankara draws to a close. The first reasserts the alliance’s commitment to Article 5 of its charter, often referred to as the mutual defense clause.
“We, the Heads of State and Government of the North Atlantic Alliance, have gathered in Ankara to reaffirm our ironclad commitment to our collective defense under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty and to the transatlantic bond,” point one of the declaration states.
“An attack on one is an attack on all. Our unity, solidarity and collective strength remain the foundation of peace, security, and prosperity for the one billion citizens in our Alliance of free and democratic nations,” it continues.
The leaders say they remain committed to what they describe as a “360-degree approach to deterrence and defense.”
This renewed commitment to an agreement first forged in 1949 might seem superfluous at first glance. But it follows an 18-month period in which Donald Trump has on multiple occasions appeared to call the value of the NATO Alliance and his commitment to European allies or his Canadian neighbor to the north into question.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GlcQSkip next section WATCH: Latvian president says NATO must focus on actual capabilities07/08/2026July 8, 2026
WATCH: Latvian president says NATO must focus on actual capabilities
Bernd Riegert in Ankara
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics says NATO must now focus on turning its new funding pledges into real capabilities.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
https://p.dw.com/p/5Gh7sSkip next section EU responds to Trump threats07/08/2026July 8, 2026
EU responds to Trump threats
The European Union has responded to a series of threats made by US President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Turkey.
European Commission trade spokesman Olof Gill said that the EU will “always ensure” that the interests of its members are “fully proteced” after Trump said he was considering cutting all trade ties with Spain and that he was “upset” with the EU over their refusal to bow to his wishes for further US influence in Greenland.
“We expect the US to honor its commitments under that joint statement as we have honored ours,” Gill said, referring to a recently approved trade deal between Brussels and Washington.
As for Greenland, Gill said that “decisions about the future of Greenland are for Greenlanders and Danes,” adding that “territorial integrity, national sovereignty and inviolability of borders are fundamental principles of international law.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5Gl4oSkip next section Erdogan praises allies but asks for more cooperation in opening remarks07/08/2026July 8, 2026
Erdogan praises allies but asks for more cooperation in opening remarks
As host of the summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave wide-ranging opening comments on Wednesday as he welcomed all the visitors to Ankara.
He singled out the US, Germany, Spain and Italy in particular to thank them “for additional air defense support to Turkey during the Iran war.”
Erdogan called US President Donald Trump’s efforts to make peace with Iran “admirable.”
He then encouraged European member states to ease restrictions on Europe-only defense initiatives.
“Restrictions among allies on defense cooperation, especially in the defense industry, must be lifted,” the Turkish leader said.
“At a time when a model of cooperation based on common sense and reason is possible, excluding allies that are not members of the [European] Union would lead to artificial divisions,” he added.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GkgnSkip next section Trump says interim ceasefire is ‘over’07/08/2026July 8, 2026
Trump says interim ceasefire is ‘over’
US President Donald Trump said that as far as he was concerned, the interim accord to end the conflict with Iran is “over.”
“It’s just a waste of time dealing with them,” Trump said, referring to the Iranian government and calling the leadership in Tehran “sick people,” “scum,” and “cuckoo.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5GkwrSkip next section Black Sea states expand de-mining task force07/08/2026July 8, 2026
Black Sea states expand de-mining task force
Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey have used the summit in Ankara to cement expanded efforts to remove dangerous mines from the Black Sea, Bucharest confirmed.
“Protecting critical infrastructure in the Black Sea requires a complex, integrated, and long-term approach,” said the Romanian Defense Ministry.
All three countries have gas and pipeline operations in the sea they share with Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has threatened the security of these operations, with Romania in particular reporting Russian drone incursions on its territory.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GkfNSkip next section WATCH: Why NATO needs Turkey in the Black Sea07/08/2026July 8, 2026
WATCH: Why NATO needs Turkey in the Black Sea
Julia Hahn on the Black Sea
Russia’s war against Ukraine has turned the Black Sea into one of Europe’s most important security frontiers — and made NATO member Turkey a key player in protecting vital shipping routes.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
https://p.dw.com/p/5GgjHSkip next section Syrian president arrives for talks with Trump07/08/2026July 8, 2026
Syrian president arrives for talks with Trump
President Ahmad al-Sharaa of Syria has landed in Turkey, where he is due to meet his US counterpart on the sidelines of the summit.
Initially invited by Ankara, Trump welcomed al-Sharaa’s presence, saying “he’s done an amazing job in a year and a half,” since ousting longtime strongman Bashar Assad.
“I have a very, very good relationship with him,” Trump said.
Al-Sharaa visited Washington in November 2025 to discuss potential aid packages as Syria attempts to rebuild from over a decade of brutal civil war.
Trump’s positive comments came despite al-Sharaa refusing a request last month to intervene in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Syrian president said his country is trying to establish its new government diplomatically, not militarily.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GkfYSkip next section DW’s Finlay Duncan at the NATO summit arrivals07/08/2026July 8, 2026
DW’s Finlay Duncan at the NATO summit arrivals
Finlay Duncan Ankara
Often at these kinds of summits the leaders that do choose to come and speak to the press, informally known as “doorsteps,” are keen to talk up the positives.
Today most focussed on their own country’s increases in defense spending.
Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, said “burdens are shifting” away from the United States and toward Canada and Europe. He added that Ottawa will go from spending 1.5% of its GDP on defense 18 months ago to 4% in the next two years.
Meanwhile, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda spoke of “financial solidarity,” saying his country is ready to take a “big part of public finances from other needs” in order to pay for “the world in which we are living.”
But this is not what the journalists gathered were asking about. US President Donald Trump‘s remarks last night, and now again this morning, dominated the questions we were all putting to the leaders who did run the press gauntlet.
On Greenland’s sovereignty and Trump’s suggestion the US, not Denmark, should control it, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told us: “The US position is unfortunately very clear on this topic. And our position is as clear as it has been all through: Greenland is of course not for sale.”
I asked Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten whether he thought the US is committed to NATO’s Article 5, the alliance’s principle of collective defense that an attack on one allied country is an attack on all.
“I’m absolutely confident about that,” came his reply.
This relatively short summit is now underway. Let’s see how it unfolds.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Gkg7Show more posts
About The Author
