NATO Summit in Ankara Endorses $50 Billion Precision-Strike Program

NATO leaders concluded their summit in Ankara on July 8 with a communiqué that endorsed a $50 billion, ten-year program for long-range precision-strike weapons led by the United Kingdom. The initiative, joined by 11 other European nations, will fund missiles with ranges of at least 300 kilometers and in some cases beyond 2,000 kilometers.

A separate project involving six nations will develop new ground-based launchers and missiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the summit and met with U.S. President Donald Trump afterward. Trump stated he was prepared to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air-defense systems and to pursue co-production of drones.

Allies committed €70 billion, or $80 billion, in additional military equipment and training for Ukraine through 2027. The final declaration described Ukraine as a contributor to transatlantic security and pledged support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity, though no new action was taken on Ukraine's request for a NATO membership invitation.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the creation of the Defense, Security and Resilience Bank, backed by eight other nations, to mobilize $134 billion in low-interest loans for defense projects by 2027.

NATO also announced plans to procure up to 10 Swedish GlobalEye surveillance aircraft. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Turkey signed letters of intent for a new crewed airborne early-warning project. Turkey remains outside the F-35 program following its 2019 purchase of Russian air-defense systems.