President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara for the NATO summit and immediately said he was 'very disappointed' with the Alliance, adding he would have skipped it if not hosted by his 'friend' Erdogan, according to reports.
President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara on Tuesday for the NATO summit, immediately stating he was 'very disappointed' with the Alliance and that he would not have attended if not for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The summit, hosted by Turkey, opens amid public feuding with European allies over defense spending and Iran policy.
The statement follows earlier remarks in which Trump expressed disappointment with NATO over Iran, as The Zioneer reported at 16:07. Earlier in the day, Trump was warmly greeted by Erdogan upon landing, in a reception described as unusually effusive; The Zioneer reported at 14:38 that Erdogan appeared 'beaming like a groom.'
The summit is expected to include discussions on Ukraine, Syria, and NATO's strategic direction, with tensions between Washington and European capitals running high. Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for insufficient defense spending and has signaled a shift in U.S. policy toward the alliance.
3 developments
- DevelopingErdogan says Trump's attendance at NATO Ankara summit important for alliance unity
- DevelopingReport: Trump tells Erdogan he's coming to NATO summit in July just for him
- StrongTrump reveals he asked Erdogan for unusual favor — and says he agreed
- DevelopingErdogan, Rutte walk hand-in-hand at NATO summit in Ankara
Source and signal
- Internal intake