Welcome to the seventh edition of TRENDS 360, the bimonthly newsletter from TRENDS Group. Each issue unpacks critical global developments shaping the international landscape, from shifting alliances and great power rivalries to emerging policy disruptions. This month, we are turning our attention to the 2026 Ankara NATO Summit, with a particular focus on the implications for NATO’s Southern Neighborhood following the U.S.-initiated war against Iran. Although President Trump had urged the Alliance to join his maritime blockade against Iran and threatened to reconsider America’s commitment to NATO when Allies declined his demands, the summit was nonetheless resoundingly positive, despite Trump’s renewed calls to pursue his long-standing ambition of taking control of Greenland. European and Canadian Allies committed to increasing defense spending, a nod to Trump’s long-standing call for Allies to “pay their fair share”, while Ukraine received U.S. approval to begin domestic production of Patriot interceptor missiles under license—a request President Volodymyr Zelensky had pursued for years.
NATO summits, unlike the G7 or UN General Assembly, are not held annually but rather are organized during critical junctures or key moments during the Alliance’s trajectory, especially when announcing policy, admitting new members, or launching major initiatives. During the Madrid Summit in 2022, leaders adopted a new Strategic Concept for the Alliance, outlining NATO’s core priorities and strategic objectives for the next decade.
