Rutte: NATO summit in Ankara could prove more important than The Hague meeting

The upcoming NATO summit in Ankara on July 7–8 could prove even more significant than the recent meeting in The Hague, as it will focus on implementing decisions that have already been made.

According to Report's European bureau, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made the remarks during an event hosted by the Atlantic Council in Washington.

According to Rutte, the Ankara summit will center on the implementation of previously agreed commitments rather than the adoption of new ones.

He said the success of the summit would depend on whether allies can demonstrate a credible path toward increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP, expanding arms production, and maintaining support for Ukraine.

"Ultimately, Putin is not afraid of commitments. He is afraid of the implementation of those commitments. That is exactly what we are doing," Rutte said.

He added that NATO's primary objective remains to demonstrate to Moscow that the Alliance is fully prepared to defend itself against any attack.

Rutte also stressed that despite differences among allies, NATO has consistently maintained unity when making key decisions.