Leaders attending the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey [Yonhap News File Photo]

On the 8th (local time), leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) reaffirmed their commitment to increasing defense spending in response to threats, including those posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security.

In the "Ankara Summit Declaration" adopted during the summit held in Ankara, Turkey, NATO leaders stated, "We announce plans for new procurement exceeding $50 billion (approximately 75.4 trillion KRW) and commit to accelerating innovation through expanded joint production capacity and industrial cooperation."

They further emphasized, "We will continue our efforts to remove barriers to defense trade among allies and leverage NATO partnerships to maximize the depth and collaboration of the defense industry."

The leaders noted, "To address the long-term threat Russia poses to Euro-Atlantic security and stability, as well as persistent terrorist threats, member states are fulfilling the 'Hague Defense Pledge.'"

During last year's Hague Summit, under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, NATO officially agreed to increase defense spending to a total of 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035.

NATO leaders [Yonhap News File Photo]

The declaration included the statement: "NATO leaders gathered in Ankara to reaffirm the ironclad commitment to collective defense and the transatlantic alliance," adding that "European allies and Canada are working with the United States to take on greater responsibility for the defense of the alliance."

It also stated, "NATO’s deterrence and defense are completed by a proper mix of nuclear, conventional, and missile defense capabilities, complemented by space and cyber assets," and added that "the development of interoperable transatlantic combat clouds and the introduction of robust artificial intelligence (AI) models are underway."

Regarding the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, NATO leaders "reiterated that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons and urged full respect for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."

Concerning the war in Ukraine, they declared that "Ukraine is contributing to transatlantic security," and "we have pledged to provide €70 billion (approximately 120.4 trillion KRW) in military equipment, support, and training this year, and we reaffirm our sovereign commitment to maintain at least this level in 2027."

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit on the 8th (local time) [Reuters/Yonhap News]

In a press conference concluding the event, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte assessed the summit by saying, "The message of this summit is simple: NATO is delivering." He added, "We are rebalancing the security equation in a better direction, and this is the essence of 'NATO 3.0.'"

The "NATO 3.0" concept, introduced by U.S. Department of War Under Secretary for Policy Elbridge Colby at the NATO Defense Ministers meeting this past February, envisions the U.S. focusing on homeland defense and deterring China in the Indo-Pacific, while Europe evolves into a "partnership" that does not rely on the U.S. for its security.

During the summit, Secretary General Rutte also announced plans to introduce several weapons systems, including the "NATO Drone Edge," a blueprint for strengthening NATO’s capability to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Additionally, Secretary General Rutte announced a €27 billion (approximately 46.5 trillion KRW) project to modernize fuel infrastructure, which includes supporting new pipelines heading toward the eastern region of NATO. This appears to be linked to initiatives actively promoted by Turkey, the host country of the summit.