Donald Trump lashes out at NATO leaders as $72 billion arms deals sealed at summit

NATO leaders have unveiled arms deals worth tens of billions of dollars, a sign they are responding to U.S. calls to spend more to defend Europe.

Leaders gathered for the Turkey summit hope to project unity after the war in Iran exposed fissures in the alliance that has underpinned Western security since the end of World War II.

The contracts, worth about $72 billion according to a NATO official, included European countries buying surveillance drones from U.S. company Northrop Grumman and NATO buying planes from Swedish company Saab.

As part of the agreements reached, US President Donald Trump also agreed to lift sanctions against Turkey imposed in 2020 following Ankara’s purchase of Russian air defense missiles.

He also expressed his willingness to sell Türkiye F-35 fighter jets.

But Mr Trump did not rule out further troop withdrawals from Europe during his meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

“Well, we’ll see. I’ve been very disappointed with NATO,” he said, pointing the finger at Britain, France, Germany and Italy for not doing enough to support the U.S. war against Iran.

Mr. Trump said the United States was “not being treated well” by allies, while reiterating that he did not want or need their help.

“Before I asked them, they said they wouldn’t be there, and we have billions of dollars invested in NATO,” he added.

he said.

Tensions between Mr Trump and NATO leaders also flared at the summit, in part because of the US president’s volatile relationships with some, including a recent feud with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and his repeated intention to take Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark.

The president said his relationship with Ms. Meloni “got a little bad because she refused to help us” with Iran.

“She refused to get involved, so that soured my relationship with her a little bit. But I like her. I think she’s a nice person, actually. But I think she made a mistake,” Mr. Trump told reporters.

Meanwhile, Mr. Trump used his press conference with the Turkish president to reaffirm that Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not Denmark.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she hoped the allies would respect the sovereignty of the Danish kingdom and accept that Greenland was not for sale.

NATO chief calls for defense ‘revolution’

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said before the summit began that Europeans had made “staggering” increases in defense spending.

Mr Rutte called for a “revolution” of the defense industry within the alliance, warning against massive military spending by Russia as well as China, North Korea and Iran.

“We don’t have the luxury of time. We need capacity now to ensure we remain ready,” Rutte said.

“The security situation requires it.

“The hum of the machines must become a roar.“

The European defense sector has often been criticized as fragmented and plagued by red tape and rivalries between companies and countries.

Slow economic growth and the need to maintain generous state social benefits have also made defense spending a harder sell in Europe.

Officials fear Trump will renew threats to leave NATO

Tensions within NATO, already tense over Ukraine, have intensified since the US attack on Iran in February.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO members for insufficient support in the conflict, threatening to leave the alliance.

European officials insist they largely honored demands and commitments to let the United States use their airspace and bases during the conflict, although they were not consulted about the war.

European officials said they were bracing for a repeat of some of Mr. Trump’s recent criticism at this week’s summit.

The summit ends on Wednesday.

Reuters

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