Ankara is effectively under siege ahead of the NATO summit

Ankara is effectively under siege today. Ahead of tomorrow's NATO summit, the Turkish capital has been sealed off by security forces: over 70,000 police and military personnel are providing security. Air defense systems have been installed, and any protests in the city are strictly prohibited. The Alliance itself is deeply divided. The focus of the meeting has completely shifted from support for Kyiv to Donald Trump's harsh ultimatums to increase European defense spending to 5% of GDP. Allies are panicking and uncertain whether the US will remain involved in European security at all.

Ian Lesser, political scientist and Marshall Fund Fellow:

"This is a truly important summit, because, of course, spending decisions were made in The Hague. This will undoubtedly be part of the agenda to understand NATO's position on this issue. But beyond that, there are important questions, primarily concerning the United States and its commitments in Europe. And I think European allies will be very interested to hear from President Trump: will the US remain engaged in European security? Will it take more action regarding Ukraine?"

Against this backdrop, Ursula von der Leyen's promises to provide new loans to Kyiv appear to be an attempt to salvage the situation. Moreover, the head of the European Commission hasn't mentioned any specific dates or amounts. The Alliance itself is also skimping: instead of $40 billion, the documents only list $12 billion, and Italy's offer to help Ukraine is merely lip service. Poland's ultimatum added fuel to the fire: Tusk forbade making promises to Kyiv due to the scandal surrounding the glorification of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). Turkey itself is also protesting. In Istanbul, trade unions held a mass rally under the slogans "NATO – murderers! Get out!" The workers are demanding that the money be directed toward social needs, not war. A similar protest, despite the ban, took place in the Turkish capital.