European Security · Full chronicle and history

On the eve of the NATO summit, China conducted a test launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, which is reportedly capable of carrying nuclear warheads. This move has drawn widespread attention from the international community, and the Japanese Ministry of Defense has expressed serious concern.

The two-day NATO summit concluded in Ankara, Turkey. The meeting focused on defense burden-sharing between the U.S. and its European allies, the future trajectory of the Russia-Ukraine war, and the role of China and Indo-Pacific security in NATO's strategy. This summit aimed to secure U.S. commitment to NATO and push member states to increase defense spending.

During the NATO summit, Iran attacked three merchant ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The US immediately launched strikes in response, and Iran stated it had attacked US bases in the Middle East as retaliation. President Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Iran and emphasized the importance of the principle of freedom of navigation.

The NATO Ankara Summit issued a six-point declaration, reaffirming NATO's collective defense commitment and announcing a new procurement plan worth approximately $50 billion to fulfill the pledge of increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP. The declaration also mentioned building NATO 3.0, supporting Ukraine, and addressing the broader security environment.

During the NATO summit, NATO Secretary General Rutte announced billions of dollars in deals for new weapons and other military systems in response to US President Trump's demands for increased defense spending and burden-sharing, while attempting to translate funding into actual military capabilities.

After the NATO leaders' summit, U.S. President Trump held bilateral talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky to discuss how to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump also held talks with Syrian President Ahmed Shara.

NATO Secretary General Rutte met with representatives from Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand to discuss the international situation, including Russia's aggression against Ukraine, China's posture in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, and North Korea's actions. All parties agreed that the security environments of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific are inseparable.

During the NATO summit, U.S. President Trump criticized Spain for refusing to provide military bases for U.S. operations against Iran and instructed the Treasury Secretary to cut ties with Spain. He also reiterated that Greenland should be managed by the U.S., arguing that the defense security provided by Denmark is insufficient.

U.S. President Trump stated that he is considering lifting restrictions on F-35 fighter jets for Turkey, citing Turkey's good performance in supporting U.S. actions against Iran and its significant role in the agreement with Lebanon.