NATO Deputy Commander Seeks Summit Pledges on Defense Spending and Ukraine Support

NATO's deputy supreme allied commander said a summit scheduled for July 7-8 in Ankara should encourage member countries to increase defense spending, reaffirm support for Ukraine, and display alliance cohesion. Air Chief Marshal Sir John Stringer spoke to The Associated Press in London less than two weeks before the meeting.

" He added that replacing certain U.S. long-range strike and surveillance assets would require a mix of ground, sea, and air systems.

Finnish officers said uncertainty over U.S. deployments on NATO's eastern flank complicates planning. They called for concrete capability pledges rather than spending targets alone. NATO expects members to present a "credible path" to spending 3.5 percent of GDP on core defense by the Ankara meeting.