Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - NATO leaders are meeting in Ankara for a two-day summit that is taking place under pressure from Russia’s escalating attacks on Ukraine and Donald Trump’s demands that allies spend more on defence. The summit is being hosted at Türkiye’s Beştepe Presidential Compound and is chaired by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

According to live reports, the alliance’s 32 members are using the summit to discuss defence spending, burden-sharing and support for Ukraine as Russian missile and drone attacks intensify. NATO officials say the goal is to keep the alliance cohesive while giving European members more responsibility for their own security. The meeting is also expected to produce defence-related agreements and political messaging aimed at showing NATO remains united despite pressure from Washington.

Trump’s presence adds another layer of tension because his calls for stronger burden-sharing have become a dominant theme of the talks. The summit is unfolding as European leaders try to avoid open friction while still pushing back against Russia and reinforcing support for Kyiv. Türkiye, as host, is positioning Ankara as a central venue for NATO strategy at a moment of heightened instability across Europe.

The Ankara summit is shaping up as a major test of NATO’s unity, defence commitments and response to the war in Ukraine. With Trump and other world leaders in the room, the alliance is trying to balance pressure, diplomacy and deterrence all at once.