BERLIN: US Europe NATO rift concerns deepened before the Ankara summit as German military analyst Thomas Wiegold warned of political and military alienation within the alliance.
Wiegold told Anadolu that uncertainty over future US actions had left NATO under strain ahead of the summit in Türkiye’s capital.
He said the Trump administration was weakening NATO administratively and that the alliance needed to compensate quickly.
Wiegold said military officials claimed cooperation remained strong, but political coordination had clearly weakened.
He cited the July 2 replacement of the commanding general of US Army Europe as a sign that military cooperation was also facing pressure.
Wiegold said the summit’s central issue would be how Europe organizes defense while the US scales back its efforts.
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He said European allies needed a coordinated roadmap to replace capabilities expected to be reduced by Washington.
German officials said Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders would support a stronger European NATO and new defense spending targets in Ankara.
A senior German chancellery official said European allies had increased defense spending by more than €100 billion over the past 12 months.
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The official said Germany had raised defence spending by about €25 billion to €124 billion, doubling the figure since 2022.
The Ankara summit will bring NATO heads of state and government together Tuesday and Wednesday for the alliance’s 36th summit and Türkiye’s second time hosting.
