US President Donald Trump lashed out at NATO allies on Wednesday at a summit in Ankara, as the fallout from his war with Iran threatened to overshadow the alliance’s key gathering.
With tensions rising after an overnight flare-up between US and Iranian forces, Trump declared that a ceasefire with Iran was “over” and criticized NATO allies he said had failed to back his campaign against Tehran.
He also repeated his demand for Greenland, calling European resistance to the idea a “big problem.”
“I’m very upset with NATO … because of what they did with Greenland, and … because of the fact that they didn’t want to help us with the number one state sponsor of terror, that’s Iran,” he said.
Trump singled out Spain for particular criticism, calling it a “terrible partner in NATO.”
“Spain is a wasted cause. We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore,” he said, referring to a dispute that also involves Madrid’s defense spending. Trump urged Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to “cut it off.”
He also returned to his demand for Greenland, a self-governing territory of NATO member Denmark.
“Greenland is a big problem for us,” Trump told reporters, saying it was “very important for the United States, but it’s not important for Denmark.”
“We need it for protection of the world, not just the United States,” he said. “It doesn’t help Denmark, but it helps us.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had earlier issued a terse response to Trump’s remarks a day earlier, saying: “Greenland is, of course, not for sale.”
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Allies anxious
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte earlier sought to shore up confidence in Washington’s “complete commitment” to the military alliance as anxious allies prepared for a face-to-face meeting with the US president.
As Trump arrived in Turkey on Tuesday, he was effusive in his praise for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, highlighting their “chemistry” in remarks that contrasted sharply with his criticism of European allies.
The summit comes at a fraught time for the 77-year-old transatlantic alliance, with Trump demanding that members follow through on pledges to sharply increase defense spending as Washington takes a step back from Europe.
On the eve of the main session, NATO released figures showing that core defense spending by European allies had risen by 11 percent in 2026 and would reach $634 billion, up from $571 billion a year earlier.
Keen to avoid a new confrontation with Trump, NATO allies announced tens of billions in new arms contracts on Tuesday in an effort to show they were making good on their spending commitments.
“Yesterday was a great success,” Rutte said on Wednesday, adding that allies were “delivering” by taking more responsibility for the defense of the continent in the face of Russia.
“This is a big win for the American president,” he said.
While NATO sought to keep Trump’s attention on rising defense budgets, stalled efforts to end the war in Ukraine were also back on the agenda.
“I think they both want to make a deal,” Trump said of Russia and Ukraine. He is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later on Wednesday.
With negotiations at an impasse, Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin before flying to Turkey and was expected to “follow up” with him after meeting Zelensky, a US official said.
Europe and Canada are set to pledge continued military support for Ukraine worth 70 billion euros ($80 billion) a year in both 2026 and 2027.
Trump is also expected to hold talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as Damascus seeks to rebuild its international image after years of civil war.
The planned meeting comes a day after the Syrian leader hosted French President Emmanuel Macron for a landmark state visit that was overshadowed by twin bomb attacks in Damascus that wounded 18 people.
Although Trump still appeared irritated by restrictions some allies placed on US forces using bases at the start of the Iran conflict, he brought welcome news for Erdoğan, saying Washington would consider selling Turkey F-35 fighter jets and lifting sanctions.
Turkey was removed from the US-led F-35 program in 2019 after buying Russia’s S-400 air defense system, which Washington said could compromise the advanced fighter jet’s technology.
Ankara has long sought to return to the program and secure the lifting of US sanctions, which have strained ties and complicated Turkish defense projects.
© Agence France-Presse