The NATO summit held Wednesday in Ankara ended with a joint declaration reaffirming Article 5 and support for Ukraine. Donald Trump directly threatened Spain over defense spending, yet European leaders highlighted the unity achieved.
Donald Trump labeled Spain a “terrible ally” and “lost cause” during the summit, ordering Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut all trade with the country immediately, including visits. The U.S. president criticized Spain for not raising defense spending above 2% of GDP or granting use of the Rota and Morón bases.
The Alliance’s final declaration reaffirmed commitment to Article 5, identified Russia as a long-term threat, and pledged 70 billion euros in military equipment for Ukraine. Mark Rutte announced that Europe and Canada will spend 258 billion dollars between 2025 and 2026.
Pedro Sánchez held an informal conversation with Trump about football and golf, which he described as cordial. The Spanish government responded with “calm” and recalled that trade relations fall under the European Union. Emmanuel Macron and Rutte both stressed the “great unity” achieved in the meeting.
