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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. 08 July 2026 1 MIN READ Good morning, everyone, and again, let me first thank our host Türkiye, the President of Türkiye, the government of Türkiye, but also the people of the beautiful city of Ankara. I do realise that organising a Summit like this in your capital also means that logistics for the people living in the capital is not that easy. So, I really want to thank everyone living in Ankara for putting up with this. It is really appreciated, it is an important Summit. You are gracious hosts. Thank you so much. Last Summit in The Hague was all about planning, targeting. It was about the money. It was about industry. It was about, of course, continuing our support for Ukraine. This Summit, as I always said, is about implementation, getting it done. When you look at the numbers, 258 billion extra spent dollars in 2025 and 2026 by Canadian and European Allies. It's staggering. You are reaching the max you can spend more in terms of absorption capacity. When you look at the defence industry on both sides of the Atlantic, we are talking about almost 200,000 jobs in the US, supported by European and Canadian investments in the US. When it comes, buying from them, investing in them, the defence industry, and so many jobs in Europe and Canada directly related to this. But first of all, we do this because we need the kit, we need to be able to fight the wars if they would ever happen, basically preventing them, being so strong that nobody will attack us. So, this is why we need to ramp up defence industrial production. Yesterday was a great success. It was a splash. So many new contracts, so many new commitments. So, this was also about implementing. Last year, planning, this year, implementing. And then the support for Ukraine, of course, continuing, extremely important. And I expect Allies today to, again, commit multi-year. We will see exactly what comes out of it, but my expectation is that we will come out with a strong commitment to keep on supporting Ukraine. What this leads to is a NATO which is truly transformed. If you look at it from the United States perspective, you will have European Allies which are much more capable to, with the US, work together in NATO to keep one billion people safe. President Trump has been able to, finally, get done what, since Eisenhower, American presidents tried to do, which was to equalise defence spending between Europe and the United States. It is now happening. On this trajectory to the 5% we already reached the 4% this year, which is amazing. Of course, not only because of President Trump, also because of the Russian threat. But let's be honest, President Trump encouraging European Allies and Canada to do this has really helped, and it is delivering. I think this is absolutely important. So, a much stronger NATO, a much stronger Europe in a stronger NATO, NATO 3.0. And then I also expect Allies today to discuss Iran. I expect Allies today to reconfirm that Iran should never ever get its hands on a nuclear capability. And secondly, that the principle, the freedom of navigation, so the strait of Hormuz completely opening up again is, is a sine qua non. It is crucial for all 32 Allies. So, with that, I'm happy to take a few questions. Question (Inaudible) on greenland NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte On that issue, we discussed this at length in Davos. As you know, we have a process in place. I think he absolutely has a point that Iran - sorry, not Iran here – it's China and Russia, gaining access to the Arctic. So, it is crucial that, as an Alliance, and this is what we agreed in Davos, work together to make sure that doesn't happen. And also, when it comes to Denmark and Greenland itself, we have a good process in place. Question (Inaudible) because he has already said he's very disappointed with NATO in his opening comments. Disappointed with them regarding Iran. Disappointed regarding the lack of action from NATO Allies over Iran. Despite your best efforts yet again to explain to the President how much Europe is spending, how much Canada is spending, and what support could be available for Iran, is it falling on deaf ears? And actually, he said he doesn't even want to be here without Mr. Erdogan's intervention. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Well, listen, we know there is disappointment on the American side when it comes to Iran. That has to do with isolated cases. At the same time, we see up to 5,000 sorties from European bases, it's implementing all the bilateral basing agreements. It is again Europe as one big platform of power projection for the United States. That is happening. And when it comes to the money and the spending, I mean, Europe now equalising with the United States, it is this President who encouraged us to do this, very forcefully. Of course, there is also the Russian threat, which forces us to do this on European side of NATO, and I think this is a big win for the American President. He has been extremely successful pushing for this since Trump 45, now achieving it in Trump 47. Question What is your reaction on the recent US attacks on Iran, and why don't you fear that this will overshadow this Summit? NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Well, I think it was absolutely necessary, because when you have a ceasefire, and Iran is basically violating the ceasefire. We see what happened yesterday with ships being attacked. I think it is totally crucial that the US forcefully reacts. Question Is the current level of Allied forces in Poland enough to deter Russia? NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte You know, what we have to do is forces, we need the kit, so the defence industry output, we need everything. And are you from Poland? Your country is investing heavily in its armed forces. You have already basically achieved all the targets. You are reforming your armed forces, as we speak. You know that there's a strong US commitment to Poland, we have heard this from every senior politician in the US, but of course we have to look and make sure every day that we are as strong as possible. Question In the Washington Summit declaration two years ago, Russia was described as the most significant and direct threat to the Allies' security. And back in The Hague, the Allies just mentioned a long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security. Do you expect even softer language in this declaration and does it represent (inaudible)? NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte I expect again for today to acknowledge collectively that Russia is the long-term threat to NATO territory. But hey, you have to read the declaration when it comes out, but I have clear expectations that the long-term threats of Russia will again be noted. Question Mr Secretary, thank you so much, you say that this Summit is about delivery. What is the single most important outcome that you're expecting to see out of this Summit? Are we expecting to see something like 5% defence pledge, like we saw at the Summit in The Hague, are we expecting (inaudible)? NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte But this is about delivering on the pledge. The 5% pledge was there. What we are now doing is delivering on the 5% pledge. And the amazing news is that already this year in 2026, we have, when you combine the core defence spending and the defence related spending, we have already reached 4% on a 10-year trajectory. In one year, Canada and Europe getting to the 4%. And that means huge increases in core defence spending, also increases, of course, in defence-related spending. But then on the priority, given the fact that spending is going up and so much money is now coming in, also noting that we need to keep the support for Ukraine going, I think the main issue yesterday, today, is defence industrial output. Because, in the end, you cannot defend yourself with dollars, or pounds, or euros or liras here in in Türkiye. You have to protect yourself with men and women in uniform,. You have to recruit them, and you need the defence industrial output. This was the problem, it is not completely solved, not in the US, not in Europe. We still need more defence industrial output, but we are really getting, getting so far ahead already this year. You've seen it yesterday. Two more questions. Question You said yesterday you invoked the spirit of the World Cup, and talked about NATO being one team, and yet, as we've heard, Donald Trump saying he could pull US troops out of Europe. He wants to take hold of Greenland again. Do you take his threats seriously, or do you still think that he is a committed member of the team? NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte He is completely committed, there is complete commitment of the United States to NATO. But there was one, and still to a certain extent, is one expectation. So, the commitment is there, no doubt. Also, because NATO is there in the US interest to prevent, for example, the nuclear submarines of Russia to end up on the shores of the United States. The US, to stay safe, needs a secure Atlantic, Europe, and Arctic, so there is complete commitment to NATO. But hey, there's also an expectation, and the expectation was, and is, that the Europeans and the Canadians will equalise their spending with United States, which I think, and many of the colleagues in the room today think, is completely fair. Now, the good news is and this is the big win today. It's a loss for Putin. It is a win for President Trump that the Europeans and the Canadians are doing exactly that. Final question. Question (Inaudible) What is your message to Russia and Vladimir Putin? They are carefully following NATO summit here in Ankara. What is your message? NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte My message is that this Alliance of one billion people living in Europe, living in Canada, living in the United States, that this Alliance will defend every inch of our territory. That you cannot win from NATO. We are defensive. We will never attack anyone. We will only defend our way of life, our democracies, our territory. So, don't fool with us, don't play with us. Thank you so much. And I'll see you after the conference at my press conference. Looking forward to that. Take care. Link was copied to clipboard
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