Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump walks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a formal arrival at the Bestepe Presidential Compound at the NATO summit in Ankara. [Photo Credit: Reuters]
NATO’s European leaders aim to convince Donald Trump on Wednesday to re-commit to the military alliance at a summit in Ankara after the U.S. president revived his disputes with them over the Iran war and Greenland.
Following his arrival in the Turkish capital on Tuesday, Trump said he might have boycotted the summit had it not been for his friendship with the host, President Tayyip Erdogan, and he did not rule out further troop withdrawals from Europe.
Earlier in the day, NATO sought to demonstrate that its European members were heeding Trump’s calls to spend more on their own defence and rely less on the U.S. by unveiling a raft of arms deals, opens new tab worth at least $50 billion.
Trump, who has harshly criticised NATO during both his first and second terms in office, said he was “very disappointed” with the alliance and that the U.S. was not “treated well” during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Trump has accused European nations of failing to let U.S. forces use their airspace and bases on their territories during the war.
European officials have said they largely honoured their commitments to U.S. forces, despite not having been consulted about a conflict that roiled their economies and was deeply unpopular in Europe.
In recent weeks, Trump has singled out Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni – formerly a close ally – for criticism.
On Tuesday, Trump said his relationship with Meloni “became a little bad because she refused to help us” with Iran while also describing her as a “nice person”.
Italian officials have sought in recent days to draw a line under the spat.
Trump also said Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark, should be controlled by the United States.
