...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis....
’s 32 member states will gather in Ankara on Tuesday and Wednesday for a summit expected to focus on higher defense spending, continued military support for Ukraine and security challenges in the Middle East, including Iran, as the alliance seeks to reinforce unity amid evolving global security threats.
According to Rooters, defense spending will dominate the summit agenda as U.S. President Donald Trump
...The cad! Twice caught beating wimmin!...
continues to press European allies to assume a greater share of NATO’s collective security responsibilities. Alliance leaders are expected to discuss expanding military capabilities, increasing defense production and strengthening Europe’s role in regional security while maintaining transatlantic cooperation.
A draft summit declaration says NATO members remain committed to a long-term goal of spending the equivalent of 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense and related security investments by 2035. European allies and Canada are expected to increase defense investment by more than $139 billion in 2025, reaffirming what the alliance describes as a stronger commitment to collective burden-sharing.
Support for Ukraine is expected to remain another key priority. NATO members are preparing to provide approximately 70 billion euros ($82 billion) in military assistance, equipment and training for Ukraine in 2026, with a similar level of support anticipated in 2027. Most of the funding is expected to come from bilateral contributions by member states and a 60 billion-euro European Union
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
assistance package, while the United States is not expected to participate in the new funding initiative.
Regional security and developments involving Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneouslytaking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet
militiasto extend the regime's influence. The word
Iranis a cognate form of
Aryan.The abbreviation
IRGCis the same idea as
Stürmabteilung (or SA).The term
Supreme Guideis a the modern version form of either
Duceor
Führeror maybe both. They hate
are also expected to feature prominently in the discussions. According to the draft communiqué, NATO leaders will reaffirm that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon and are expected to emphasize the importance of protecting freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime trade routes.
A NATO Defense Industry Forum, scheduled alongside the summit, is expected to announce defense contracts worth tens of billions of dollars as member states seek to accelerate weapons production, replenish military stockpiles and strengthen the alliance’s long-term defense industrial capacity.
The summit comes at a pivotal moment for NATO as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues into its fifth year and security concerns in the Middle East have intensified following recent hostilities involving Iran, Israel and the United States. Alliance members are seeking to balance continued support for Ukraine with broader efforts to strengthen deterrence, expand defense production and respond to emerging global security challenges.
The meeting also follows months of debate over defense spending within the alliance. Trump has repeatedly urged European governments to increase military investment and reduce reliance on U.S. security guarantees, while several European leaders have accelerated defense spending and weapons procurement in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. NATO officials say the summit is expected to demonstrate allied unity despite differences over funding priorities and regional security policies.
Rude: ‘Hide the Children, Trump Is Coming’ Banner Appears in Istanbul Ahead of NATO Summit
[KhaamaPress] A large protest banner reading, “Hide the Children, Trump Is Coming!” was displayed on Istanbul’s historic Haliç (Golden Horn) Bridge ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Turkey for this week’s NATO summit, drawing widespread attention on social media and in Turkish media.
The banner was installed by activists opposed to Trump’s visit, although the organizers did not publicly identify themselves or explain the slogan. Images of the banner circulated widely online, making it one of the most visible public protests ahead of the summit.
Some social media users and media commentators linked the slogan to allegations surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein case. However, the activists behind the banner did not publicly confirm that interpretation, and no official statement explaining the message had been released at the time of publication.
Trump is expected to travel to Ankara for the NATO leaders’ summit, where alliance members are scheduled to discuss collective defense, continued support for Ukraine, regional security and defense spending. His reported schedule is expected to include bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan and other regional leaders, although the White House had not publicly confirmed the full itinerary at the time of publication.
Security has been tightened across Ankara ahead of the summit, with authorities imposing traffic restrictions, increasing police deployments and introducing additional security measures for visiting delegations.
The banner appeared as anti-NATO demonstrations took place in several Turkish cities. The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) said police detained more than 100 protesters during a demonstration in Ankara on Sunday, while separate protests in Istanbul concluded without reported arrests. Turkish authorities had not immediately commented on the reported detentions.
Turkey has been a NATO member since 1952 and occupies a strategic position linking Europe, the Middle East and the Black Sea. While Ankara remains a key member of the alliance, its relations with some Western allies have periodically been strained over issues including defense procurement, regional conflicts and foreign policy.
Turkey Detains Over 100 at Anti-NATO Protest Ahead of NATO Summit
[KhaamaPress] oTurkish security forces detained more than 100 members of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) during an anti-NATO protest in Ankara on Sunday, the party said, as authorities tightened security ahead of this week’s NATO summit in the Turkish capital.
Were they dressed in boring black Black Bloc/Antifa attire?
The Communist Party said police detained more than 100 protesters, including several senior party officials, during a demonstration in Ankara’s Kızılay Square. The protest was organized to oppose NATO before the alliance’s summit, which is scheduled to bring together leaders of its 32 member states and partner countries on Tuesday and Wednesday.Videos published by the party showed demonstrators carrying flags and chanting anti-NATO slogans. The party alleged that riot police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Turkish authorities had not publicly commented on the reported detentions or the allegations regarding the use of force at the time of publication.
Separate anti-NATO demonstrations also took place in Istanbul, where hundreds of protesters marched from Taksim Square to the Dolmabahçe district. Two additional rallies organized by left-wing groups were held in Kadıköy. Unlike the protest in Ankara, no clashes or arrests were reported during the demonstrations in Istanbul, despite a heavy security presence.
Kemal Okuyan, general secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey, said party members had mobilized in several cities to protest against NATO ahead of the summit. His comments reflected the party’s longstanding opposition to Turkey’s membership in the alliance.
Authorities have introduced extensive security measures in Ankara ahead of the summit, including restrictions on public demonstrations, road closures and the deployment of additional security personnel to protect visiting heads of state and foreign delegations.
Separately, Turkish media reported that 39 people, including journalists, civil society activists and academics, were detained on Sunday in a counterterrorism operation in several parts of the country. The authorities have not linked those detentions to the anti-NATO