Six takeaways from the 2026 NATO Summit

The 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, saw relative lack of drama despite pre-summit uncertainties over US engagement, defense spending, Ukraine's membership, and Europe's approach to the Iran war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a poignant address and received a standing ovation. He made headway on air defense, with US President Donald Trump floating the idea of granting Kyiv a "license" to manufacture Patriot systems. Ukraine also secured a €70 billion ($80 billion) commitment from allies for military equipment and training, with a pledge to sustain assistance through 2027. The final declaration used stronger supportive language for Kyiv, calling it a contributor to "transatlantic security." However, Ukraine made little visible progress on its 18-year quest for NATO membership. Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson noted a shift toward viewing Kyiv as a "security provider" and said "the sooner" Ukraine joins, "the better." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the creation of the Canada-led Defense, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB), backed by eight countries, aiming to mobilize $134 billion in capital by 2027 to provide low-interest loans for defense projects. Turkey did not secure formal re-entry into the F-35 program despite positive signals from Trump about sanctions being lifted.