France says NATO summit to focus on European security, Ukraine support

French President Emmanuel Macron's office said Friday that the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara will centre on European security, support for Ukraine, and the realignment of US-European efforts. The Élysée Palace stated that the challenge of the summit would be for Europeans to take greater responsibility for their own security, for allies' support for Ukraine, and for Europeans and Americans to realign their efforts.

Summit agenda and Ukraine support

The summit reflects core principles Macron has pursued for years: European strategic autonomy, greater burden‑sharing, continued support for Ukraine, and rebuilding convergence with the US through greater responsibility‑sharing. Macron's office also said the summit is expected to confirm a commitment to provide around €70 billion (about $80 billion) in support for Ukraine in 2026, with a similar level of support in 2027, though the commitment could be subject to final adjustments. The Élysée Palace also stressed the need for NATO to assess the risk of escalation by Russia.

Bilateral meeting and capability model

The Élysée Palace also said there will probably be a bilateral meeting between Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the summit, with discussions covering the full range of issues in bilateral relations. When asked what capabilities France is prepared to make available to the alliance to compensate for US reductions, Macron's office clarified that France is not going to replace US capabilities, but said European allies need to consider a new capability model for NATO.