Trump enters final NATO summit day as Ukraine, defense spending take center stage
President Donald Trump enters the final day of the NATO summit Wednesday as alliance leaders seek to project unity on defense spending, support for Ukraine and the future of transatlantic...
By Fox News · Fox News
President Donald Trump enters the final day of the NATO summit Wednesday as alliance leaders seek to project unity on defense spending, support for Ukraine and the future of transatlantic security following a series of headline-making announcements and bilateral meetings during the opening day of the gathering. Trump will join fellow NATO leaders for the summit's only plenary session before holding bilateral meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. He is expected to conclude the summit with a press conference before departing Ankara, Turkey, for Washington. The final day comes after Trump used Tuesday's bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to announce the United States would lift sanctions on Turkey, saying, "We don't sanction friends." Trump also signaled he is prepared to move forward with the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Ankara despite years of U.S. opposition stemming from Turkey's purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. TRUMP COULD HAND PRIZED STEALTH JETS TO NATO ALLY ONCE SEEN AS ALLIANCE HEADACHE Wednesday's agenda is expected to focus on the alliance's efforts to strengthen collective defense as members continue implementing higher defense spending commitments and coordinate support for Ukraine more than four years after Russia's full-scale invasion. Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy will be among the day's most closely watched events as Kyiv continues pressing allies for military assistance and air defense capabilities while seeking to maintain Western backing for its war effort against Russia. Kyiv has warned it is running critically low on Patriot interceptor missiles, which Ukrainian officials describe as the country's most effective defense against Russia's ballistic missile attacks. Ukrainian officials said none of the ballistic missiles launched during a massive barrage this week could be intercepted because of dwindling supplies. UKRAINE’S BATTLEFIELD IS…