NATO summit concludes in Ankara with aid commitments for Ukraine
The NATO summit concluded in Ankara on July 8-9, 2026, with member states pledging at least 140 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine for 2026 and 2027. The final declaration designated Russia as a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security and emphasized continued support for Ukraine's sovereignty. While most members agreed to the aid package, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis stated that the Czech Republic would not participate. During the summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed Aegean Sea issues, with Erdogan calling for dialogue while rejecting Greek and Israeli concerns regarding the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. Donald Trump expressed satisfaction with the summit's outcome, and Erdogan noted productive talks with the former US president regarding defense industry cooperation. Mitsotakis described Turkey’s casus belli as a historical error, while Erdogan suggested that the term is largely unknown to the Turkish public.