Ahead of the upcoming NATO summit with US President Donald Trump, European nations are preparing to announce major defence agreements worth billions of dollars. The deals are aimed at showing that European countries are increasing their own military capabilities and responding to long-standing US demands for greater defence spending.

The announcements will be made at the NATO Defence Industry Forum in Ankara on Tuesday, before Trump meets Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and attends the NATO leaders’ summit.

Europe Increases Defence Spending Amid Security Concerns

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said European members and Canada have significantly increased defence spending.

The major reasons behind this rise include:

• Growing security concerns after Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Pressure from the US to make European allies more self-reliant in defence

According to NATO figures, European members and Canada are expected to spend around $90 billion more on defence in 2025 compared with 2024, taking total spending above $570 billion. This represents nearly a 20% rise in just one year.

Trump’s Repeated Criticism of NATO Allies

Trump has repeatedly argued that European countries should reduce their dependence on the United States for security.

In recent months, he has criticised NATO members over their defence contributions and questioned whether the US should continue carrying such a large share of the alliance’s military burden.

European nations, however, have argued that they have supported US operations by providing access to military bases and airspace. They have also expressed concerns that some international decisions affecting Europe were made without sufficient consultation.

US Plans to Review Military Presence in Europe

The United States has started reviewing its military presence in Europe. The review includes:

• Troop deployments
• Aircraft carriers
• Fighter aircraft
• Drones
• Aerial refuelling aircraft
• NATO defence projects

Washington has also indicated plans to reduce some military resources in Europe.

Netherlands to Announce €3 Billion Defence Deals

Although NATO has not released complete details of all planned agreements, the Netherlands has confirmed major defence announcements.

Dutch Defence Minister Dillon Yesilgöz said the country will announce defence agreements worth more than €3 billion.

The deals are expected to include:

• Air defence cooperation with Belgium
• Naval ship partnerships with the United Kingdom

NATO May Buy Saab Surveillance Aircraft

Another major development could involve NATO purchasing GlobalEye surveillance aircraft from Swedish defence company Saab.

The aircraft could replace NATO’s ageing American Boeing E-3 Sentry fleet and mark a major step toward modernising the alliance’s surveillance capabilities.

Europe’s Message Before the Summit

European countries hope that Turkish President Erdoğan and NATO chief Mark Rutte can help maintain unity within the alliance during discussions with Trump.

The upcoming summit is expected to focus on defence spending, military cooperation, and the future balance of responsibility between the US and European NATO members.