Steve Sedgwick goes behind the scenes of NATO's dramatic 48 hours, where Trump's changing tone reshaped diplomacy and left allies guessing.

Erdogan gifts revolvers to Nato leaders, prompting customs and security questions Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 07/09/2026 - 19:36 The Turkish president reportedly gave leaders personalised revolvers with live ammunition after the Ankara summit This handout photo, taken on 9 July 2026, shows a revolver offered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, with the president's name engraved, including live rounds (Eitvydas Kinaitis/Office of the Lithuanian president/AFP) Off Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave Nato leaders personalised revolvers with live ammunition after a summit in Ankara, prompting several governments to navigate customs and security procedures, Reuters reported

NATO chief Mark Rutte lavished praise on U.S

Iran war overshadows defence alliance's summit in Turkiye.

In Ankara, the leaders of the alliance appeared more concerned about Western geopolitical power than about Western democratic values.

A NATO Summit for the history books concludes, with the collapse of the ceasefire with Iran stealing headlines and surprising markets.

Ukraines deep drone strikes on Russian refineries are reshaping the war and pushing NATO toward a $40 billion counter-drone plan.

US President Trump said he will remove Syria from the US state sponsor of terrorism list at the NATO summit.

This is America: Jim Townsend says he is unsure whether the US would send troops if a NATO ally were attacked.

President Donald Trump spent two days in Ankara, Turkey with other NATO member leaders.

Trump departed the NATO summit on an older Air Force One after arriving aboard the new Qatar-gifted aircraft.

Treasury yields surged after President Donald Trump told the NATO summit that the ceasefire with Iran is over.

Trump dominates summit with anti-Europe and Iran diatribes as NATO pledges to expand defence budgets and Ukraine support

Trump pushes for Greenland at NATO; Denmark holds firm

U.S. President Donald Trump slammed Spain for not contributing enough to NATO, as he attended the defense alliance summit in Turkey.

NATO countries are bolstering their militaries after U.S

Trump criticized NATO allies over defense spending, attacked Spain and renewed his Greenland push during the alliances summit in Turkey.

Trump criticises Nato allies for lack of support in war on Iran US President Donald Trump criticised his Nato allies for their refusal to support Washington in its war on Iran, as the Nato summit began in Ankara

The second and final day of the key gathering is under way in Turkiye's capital.

NATO leaders unveiled arms deals worth tens of billions of dollars in Trkiye on Tuesday, driving home the message that they are heeding US calls to spend more to defend Europe even as President Donald Trump said he felt let down and renewed his push to control Greenland.

Trump's criticism of Germany had 'absolutely no effect' in Nato talks, defence minister says US President Donald Trump's criticism of Germany that it did not back the war on Iran had "absolutely no effect" in negotiations at the Nato summit,the European country's defence minister Boris Pistorius told the Deutschlandfunk radio station.

Nato's Rutte calls on alliance leaders to reaffirm Iran's full reopening of Hormuz Strait Nato chiefMark Rutte said he expects alliance leaders to reassert their call for Iran to completely reopen the Strait of Hormuz and that the country "should never get its hands on a nuclear capability".

Tensions between the U.S. and its allies heat up at the NATO Summit, while a fresh wave of stikes threatens the ceasefire in Iran.

Nato chief says US attacks on Iran 'absolutely necessary' Fresh US strikes on Iran were "absolutely necessary", Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters during akey summit in Turkey's Ankara

Leaders have gathered in Ankara for a two-day summit slated to cover defence spending and the Russia-Ukraine war.

US President Donald Trump criticised NATO allies for refusing to back the United States during its conflict with Iran.

NATO fell into a crisis earlier this year as Trump demanded that the U.S

Ukraine needs NATO, but NATO needs Ukraine just as much, the Finnish president told CNBC on Tuesday.

The NATO leaders' summit opened in the Turkish capital Ankara on Tuesday with a Defense Industry Forum, unveiling major defense initiatives aimed at accelerating weapons production and procurement amid growing concerns over the alliance's expanding militarization.

The attack underscores Kyiv's enhanced long-range drone capabilities and comes on the eve of a crucial NATO summit.

Rutte told an audience at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, that its current fleet is to be replaced by the GlobalEye system, as it is nearing the end of its lifespan.

Trump frequently vented about NATO members' refusal to heed U.S

Trump warns NATO members ahead of summit, as European nations prepare to announce record defence spending.

The German-owned naval shipbuilder made the bid with NATO ally Norway, beating out South Korea's Hanwha Ocean.

The French president is the first leader from western Europe to visit Syria since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.

US warns of consequences for NATO members without clear spending plans, signalling high expectations from allies.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said members are now spending around 4% of GDP on defence.

Macron visits Syria in first major western leader trip under new leadership French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Syria on Monday, becoming the first major western leader to visit the country since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. He is expected to travel to Ankara for the Nato summit, where Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is also expected to attend and hold a high-profile meeting with US President Donald Trump

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said NATO's allies boosting defense spending under pressure from Trump reflects growing pains, not a crisis.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is jetting off Monday to the two-day NATO summit in Turkey's capital city Ankara.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned of a likely attack ahead of meeting with US President Donald Trump.

The World Cup takes an extraordinary turn after President Trump's reported red card intervention.

Leaders are expected to focus on whether Europe can turn higher defense spending into military power as Washington pushes allies to shoulder more of the burden.

Leaders of the NATO member states are expected in Turkiye by July 7 for a summit - the first it will host in 22 years.

Trump on Nato: Ridiculous for US to continue along this one-sided path In two Truth Social posts, Trump compared US spending on the transatlantic military alliance with that of other major members

Europe to fill gaps left by US in Nato defence plans, Reuters reports Nato will announce that its European members have filled almost all gaps left by the US in the alliances defence plans at next weeks Ankara summit, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing a Nato source

US President Donald Trump criticized Spain and other European allies for not meeting their NATO military spending commitments, labeling Spain as terrible and accusing it of seeking a free ride.

Like other NATO countries, the U.K

"Italy has never taken part in any military initiative and has never authorized the use of bases for war actions against Iran, in the strictest respect of the treaties with the United States," Tajani wrote on X. The comments come a day after Italy rebuked remarks by Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte suggesting otherwise

NATO chief Mark Rutte visited the White House to ease tensions with Trump ahead of next month's NATO summit.

Mark Ruttes remarks have sparked fresh controversy as Rome claims it denied permission for US warplanes bound for Iran.

NATO chief Mark Rutte points to use of US bases in Europe as he stresses support for US war on Iran.

Trump criticises European allies over lack of support during war on Iran US President Donald Trump has criticised several European allies for what he described as a lack of support during the US-Israeli war on Iran. Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, Trump said the US did not require assistance but would have welcomed stronger backing from European governments

Rutte's visit to Washington came two weeks before the annual NATO leaders' summit in Turkey, putting further pressure on the secretary-general to soothe Trump's anger.

E5 talks in Berlin took place between heads of state of Britain, France, Italy, Poland and Germany ahead of July summit.

The US announces a review of American forces in Europe amid a rift with NATOs European allies over spending.

U.S

The U.S

Trkiye's Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday that NATO will deploy an Italian SAMP-T missile defense system in the central province of Konya to enhance the country's airspace security.

NYT: US plans major reduction of military assets assigned to Nato The United States plans to significantly reduce the number of aircraft and naval assets it makes available to Nato operations in Europe, according to a report by The New York Times, which cited two senior European officials