EU Commission chief set for high-stakes NATO summit in Ankara

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Ankara next week to attend the NATO summit and participate in a defence industry forum held on the sidelines of the gathering.

The announcement was made by European Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho during a briefing in Brussels.

"On Tuesday, the President of the European Commission will be in Ankara, Türkiye, where she will participate in the NATO summit and speak at a defence industry forum on the sidelines of the summit," Pinho said.

The NATO summit, scheduled for July 7–8, is expected to focus primarily on increasing defence spending by the alliance's European members.

According to the report, officials in Brussels see the European Commission playing a central role in supporting the European Union's defence buildup, including adapting the bloc's budget to accommodate higher defence and security priorities.

By Vafa Guliyeva