7 July 2026 17:11 UTC · NATO · NATO Transcript · Source · Email X Link

NATO says NATO-EU cooperation is strong

Key points

Strong NATO–EU cooperation with clear division of labour
EU mobilising 800 billion euros up to 2030 for defence industry

TL;DR

Mark Rutte says NATO and the EU have a clear division of labour: NATO handles capabilities, standards and command and control while the EU handles resilience, infrastructure, the defence industrial base and funding.
António Costa says member states are fulfilling commitments and Europe is taking greater responsibility for its own defence; he expects the Ankara Summit to send a clear message about reliance on NATO and deterrence.
Ursula von der Leyen says the EU has mobilised 800 billion euros up to 2030 to strengthen the defence industrial base, and seeks more joint ventures with Ukraine and joint EU procurement for interoperability.

Original text

Create an account Reset password Already have an account? Log in From now on you can download videos from our website If you would also like to subscribe to the newsletter and receive our latest updates, click on the button below. Enter the email address you registered with and we will send you a code to reset your password. The password must be at least 12 characters long, no spaces, include upper/lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Click the button to return to the page you were on and log in with your new password. 07 July 2026 2 MIN READ NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Good evening, both of you. I'm so happy that we have this opportunity. Thank you for being here at the NATO Summit. I basically would say that when it comes to NATO and EU cooperation, it couldn't be better. We have a clear distinction of labour where NATO is working on the capabilities, and the standards, and the command and control. And basically all the rest is being handled by the European Union. So, that has to do with resilience, infrastructure, the defence industrial base, but also money. And you are so successful in making sure, for example, through SAFE and all the other programmes the EU is running, that the money is there supporting the 27 EU countries, 23 of which are also a member of NATO, an Ally within the Alliance, that the money is there. So, for all these reasons, and this is crucial, because we have the Russian threat, we know the Russians work together with North Korea, China, and Iran, so we cannot be naïve, we have to pull together. This is exactly what we are doing, and I really want to both thank you for that, so whom can I give the floor? President of the European Council António Costa Dear Mark, dear Ursula. First of all, I would like to express, I'm so glad with this, our strategic cooperation. Our member states, as you acknowledge, are fulfilling their commitments, and Europe is taking greater responsibility in our own defence. And now we need to continue. And what the European citizens expect from this Ankara Summit is a clear message that we can continue to rely on NATO on, for their own defence and also for our deterrence, based on the very strong transatlantic relationship. Then my best wishes for this Summit and for a clear outcome. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen And also from my side, my dear friend, Mark. Thank you very much for this meeting here in Ankara. Indeed, a strong Europe is a strong NATO. And we are determined to fill the gaps that we see in the defence posture. And for that we have mobilised 800 billion euros up to 2030 that have to be invested to have a strong industrial, defence industrial base. Not only do we want a strong defence industrial base, but also we want more joint ventures with Ukraine, because they are highly innovative in battlefield experience. And, of course, we want more joint procurement within the European Union, because this means interoperability. So many topics to discuss with you. Thank you very much for inviting us. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Thank you so much, so thank you. Link was copied to clipboard

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