“That should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark,” Trump said, repeating a claim that has repeatedly strained ties with fellow NATO member Denmark.

Trump renews criticism of NATO allies

Trump said he had considered skipping the summit altogether and attended largely because of his close relationship with Erdogan.

“We weren’t treated well,” Trump said, arguing that while the United States had invested “trillions of dollars” in NATO, several allies declined to participate in the Iran war even after Washington sought their support. He nevertheless insisted the US neither wanted nor needed their military assistance.

His remarks revived long-running concerns among European leaders that Trump could once again question NATO’s collective security commitments or reduce America’s military presence on the continent.

Turkey gets major boost

Despite criticising many NATO allies, Trump offered Ankara a significant diplomatic win by announcing that Washington would lift sanctions imposed on Turkey in 2020 over its purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defence system.

He also said the US was prepared to consider selling F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, potentially ending years of defence tensions between the two NATO allies. Any sale, however, would still have to overcome legal and congressional restrictions.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the announcement, saying he expected the two countries to deepen defence cooperation.

NATO unveils billions in defence deals

As Trump arrived in Ankara, NATO sought to demonstrate that European allies were responding to repeated US demands to spend more on defence.

Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced a series of multinational procurement projects, including new Saab GlobalEye surveillance aircraft, additional surveillance drones and air-refuelling aircraft. A NATO official said the agreements were collectively worth around $50 billion.

Rutte called for a “defence industry revolution”, warning that Russia’s military expansion, alongside challenges posed by China, North Korea and Iran, required urgent investment in military capabilities.

Ukraine remains on the agenda

The summit also focused on continued support for Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urging allies to provide additional air-defence systems after another wave of Russian missile and drone attacks killed dozens around Kyiv.

Trump said he had recently spoken to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy and believed both leaders wanted to negotiate an end to the war.

“I think they both want to make a deal,” Trump said. “Something’s going to come out.”

Why it matters

Trump’s remarks underscore the tensions that continue to define his relationship with NATO. While European allies are increasing defence spending and announcing new arms projects, the US President has renewed criticism of the alliance, revived his demand to acquire Greenland and signalled a willingness to reshape key defence partnerships, including restoring military ties with Turkey. Those moves are likely to dominate discussions at the Ankara summit even as NATO seeks to project unity in the face of continued security challenges.

(With inputs from Reuters, AP)