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Kristen Michal ahead of the Ankara Summit: Europe must become stronger for NATO to remain strongPhoto: NATO

“In the current security environment, the summit must send a clear message that NATO is united and strong. For NATO to remain strong, Europe must also become stronger, which means both increasing defence spending and placing greater emphasis on the defence industry. At the previous summit in The Hague, we agreed to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP. Estonia is doing so – this year, we are already spending more than 5% of GDP on military defence. It is now time for all Allies to reach this target. The good news is that in 2025, defence spending by European Allies and Canada increased by 139 billion US dollars, and this growth is continuing,” Prime Minister Kristen Michal said.He added that concrete commitments are also needed regarding long-term military support for Ukraine. “Sustainable assistance that meets Ukraine’s actual needs is the best way to make use of the current window of opportunity to strengthen Ukraine’s position and contribute to achieving a just and lasting peace. Estonia’s clear message is also that all previous commitments made to Ukraine remain valid, including the commitment that Ukraine’s future is in NATO,” Michal emphasised.“Given the long-term threat that Russia poses to security in the Euro-Atlantic area, Ankara must be a summit focused on implementing previous commitments so that the Alliance’s deterrence and defence are strengthened further,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna said. According to Tsahkna, it is equally important that the summit sends a strong message about the Allies’ continued military assistance to Ukraine.“Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security. Today, the Allies agree that Ukraine is not merely a recipient of security assistance, but also a clear contributor to European security by resisting Russia’s war of aggression and sharing the lessons learned from the war with its Allies,” the foreign minister stressed.According to Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur, the Ankara Summit must focus on defence investment and the practical development of capabilities.“For Estonia, it is important that Allies invest in real capabilities in order to provide the forces required for the agreed defence plans. A very important part of this is strengthening NATO’s current air policing approach and developing it into effective air defence capable of protecting Allies against all airborne threats, from drones to ballistic missiles. A credible deterrence and defence posture also requires investment in the defence industry so that it can support the rapid development of capabilities,” Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur said.On 7 July, Prime Minister Michal will attend a dinner for NATO leaders hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. On 8 July, a working session of the North Atlantic Council will take place, attended by the prime minister, the minister of defence and the minister of foreign affairs. The working session will be followed by a press conference by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.On the morning of 7 July, the prime minister will visit the Turkish defence company Nurol Makina, which has supplied Estonia with more than 200 armoured vehicles. The vehicles have been in active service with the Estonian Defence Forces since last year and have also taken part in exercise Spring Storm.On 7 July, Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur will attend a NATO defence ministers’ working dinner held as part of the summit together with representatives of Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand. The NATO Defence Industry Forum will also take place during the summit, bringing together political leaders, senior officials and defence industry representatives from Allied countries. Increasing the defence industry’s production capacity is one of the summit’s main topics. The Estonian delegation, led by the prime minister, will attend the forum, and three Estonian companies will be represented: Nortal, DefSecIntel and CybExer.On 7 July, Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna will meet with Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers with partners of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, chaired by NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska. He will also attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in the NATO–Ukraine Council format together with EU High Representative Kaja Kallas.Summit programme:NATO Summit 2026, 07-Jul-2026 | NATO Event

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