NATO Summit Opens With Ukraine Support and Defence Spending Expected to Dominate Agenda

A NATO summit has opened with alliance members expected to reaffirm support for Ukraine and debate increased defence spending commitments. Slovakia is represented at the summit by President Peter Pellegrini, who is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the gathering. The summit brings together leaders of NATO's 32 member states to coordinate on key security issues, including ongoing military and political support for Ukraine amid Russia's invasion, as well as pressure on member countries to meet or exceed the alliance's defence spending targets. Pellegrini's meeting with Erdoğan is notable given Turkey's historically independent stance within NATO on issues ranging from arms exports to relations with Russia, making such bilateral contacts significant for smaller alliance members like Slovakia.