NATO chief urges faster defence production ahead of Ankara summit

NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte on Wednesday stressed that accelerating defence production and innovation across the alliance is essential to strengthening deterrence and ensuring collective security. Speaking at the Transatlantic Defense Industry Access Forum in Brussels, Rutte called on defence companies to increase output and deliver capabilities faster. “When you, all of you, produce more, our deterrence and defence posture is stronger, and we are all safer,” he told representatives from more than 50 US and Belgian industry partners.

Ankara summit focus

Rutte said defence spending commitments alone are insufficient without a significant expansion of industrial capacity. Referring to the alliance’s 5% of GDP defence investment goal agreed in The Hague, he said the upcoming July summit in Ankara must focus on concrete military capabilities and industrial output. “Cash is crucial. But next month’s summit in Ankara will not only be about cash; it has to be about the combat‑ready capabilities and significantly scaling up our defence industries,” he said.

NATO‑EU cooperation

Rutte also met with European Parliament political group leaders, describing NATO‑EU cooperation as essential for protecting citizens’ security and freedom. He called for renewed efforts to strengthen the defence industrial base, accelerate innovation, and deepen transatlantic defence cooperation, while welcoming EU initiatives to boost defence readiness. For Türkiye, which hosts the summit and has rapidly expanded its domestic defence industry, Rutte’s call aligns with Ankara’s own priorities.