The US government will review member states' progress on defense spending increases and pursue billions of dollars (trillions of won) in sales of American-made weapons at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit held in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7-8. Analysts say the purpose of President Donald Trump's visit is to link allies' defense spending increases to expanded exports of US-made weapons.
Matthew Whitaker, the US ambassador to NATO, said Friday that "this NATO summit will review progress on the Hague defense pledge."
Earlier, NATO member states agreed at the NATO summit held in The Hague, Netherlands, last June to spend 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense by 2035, in line with President Trump's demand.
"Along with the 5% of GDP target, we will assess how allies are expanding NATO's core capabilities to support the burden-sharing underway on the European continent," Whitaker said. "Poland, the Nordic countries, and the Baltic states are leading the way, and Germany is on track with its plan to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2029, but many other countries are lagging behind."
A senior US government official, meeting with local reporters, said, "There will be significant sales of American-made weapons during this NATO summit." Earlier, Secretary Pete Hegseth said at last month's NATO defense ministers' meeting that he would review the status of the US military presence in Europe over six months.
Europe-centered NATO member states are also expected to actively work to appease President Trump at this meeting. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited the White House on the 24th of last month and held talks with President Trump, appealing that "thanks to President Trump, the leader of the free world, more than 1 trillion dollars in defense spending has been carried out in Europe and Canada."
The aim is to strengthen cohesion through this meeting with President Trump, who had threatened to withdraw US strategic assets from Germany and elsewhere, citing allies' low participation during the war with Iran.
However, over the long term, a dilemma exists. While European countries are strengthening their security alliance based on the US and NATO, there are also strong voices of opposition within the European Union (EU), led by France, calling for reducing dependence on the US and strengthening Europe's own military power. The prolonged Russian invasion of Ukraine, combined with the possibility of changes in US foreign policy, has fostered a perception that Europe must build its own defense capabilities.
France has long emphasized "Europe's strategic autonomy." This is a vision that European security should not depend solely on the US and NATO, and that EU member states should secure their own military power and defense industry base. Through its "European rearmament plan," the EU is pursuing 800 billion euros (about 1,400.55 trillion won) in defense spending and 150 billion euros (about 262.6 trillion won) in joint low-interest loans over four years.
Meanwhile, President Trump is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the occasion of his attendance at this NATO summit. He has also announced bilateral meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, respectively.
