Ahead of the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the Alliance is entering a “transformational” period as European Allies and Canada assume greater responsibility for collective defence while maintaining the United States’ central role in NATO.
Speaking at a pre-summit press conference on Monday (6 Jul), Rutte said cooperation remains essential to transatlantic security, adding: “We are stronger together, in NATO, with partners, to ensure the freedom and security we all hold dear.”
Addressing NATO’s future, Rutte argued that “rebalancing” defence responsibilities is necessary, saying it was “not sustainable” for Europe to remain overly dependent on the United States. He added: “We are now creating an Alliance which is sustainable… Stronger Europe, stronger NATO.”
In his wider remarks, Rutte said Allies are expected to present plans to meet NATO’s target of spending 5% of GDP on defence by 2035, highlighted increased defence investment by European Allies and Canada, stressed the need to expand defence industrial production, reaffirmed continued support for Ukraine, and said discussions at the summit would also address drones, innovation, burden-sharing and long-term deterrence amid ongoing security challenges posed by Russia.
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