Trump Traveled to Ankara Ahead of NATO Summit

Donald Trump, President of the United States, is traveling to Ankara to participate in a two-day NATO leaders summit; a meeting set to focus on increasing European defense spending and redefining America's role in European security. France's news agency reports that allies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will showcase significant increases in their defense spending at the Tuesday, July 7 summit in Ankara; hoping thereby to reduce the acute dissatisfaction of the U.S. President with Europe's response to conflict with Iran. American officials have stated ahead of this summit that an ongoing Pentagon review of the status of American forces in Europe may result in a reduction in the number of American troops on the continent; a move that Washington describes as part of shifting the defense burden to European allies. Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General, has said that European countries are acting on their commitment to increase defense spending and has called this process a sign of the formation of "NATO 3.0"; a NATO with "a stronger Europe within a stronger alliance." European allies are simultaneously attempting to convince Trump of their seriousness in sharing the defense burden by announcing new arms contracts and increasing military aid to Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, is also set to meet with Trump on the sidelines of the summit and seeking key decisions.. [Text appears incomplete in source material]

# Trump Heads to Ankara on the Eve of NATO Summit