• Trump at NATO summit:US President Donald Trump, who is in Turkey for the gathering of the alliance, reiterated he would like the US to control Greenland, while acknowledging it would hurt his ties with NATO — an already rocky relationship. Trump also declined to say whether he plans to announce additional US troop reductions in Europe, telling reporters,“we’re going to see.”
• Turkey jet sales: In a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the US president said he would soon decide whether to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, despite a congressional ban. Additionally, Trump said he would lift sanctionsimposedon Turkey for its purchase of a Russian air defense system
• Ukraine and Iran on agenda:Trump is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the summit. His administration also anticipates security in the Strait of Hormuz to be discussed by NATO leaders, according to a senior US official
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Trump considering selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey
US President Donald Trump said he would soon decide whether to sell Turkey F-35 fighter jets despite a congressional ban. The president also said he would lift sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of a Russian air defense system
1:01• Source:
CNN
Trump considering selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey
1:01
A short while ago, we heard from US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who spoke to journalists in Ankara ahead of this year’s NATO summit
Catch up on what the leaders said below:
- Trump said he would soon decide whether to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey despite a congressional ban, also praising the country as more loyal than other recipients of the plane.
- Meanwhile, Erdoğan indicated he believes a deal is close for Ankara to buy American F-35 fighter jets and US-made jet engines for Turkey’s flagship KAAN fighter jets, saying Turkey has “been promised five jets.”
- Trump reiterated that he would like his country to control Greenland, arguing the territory is strategically vital to American security while acknowledging that it “would hurt my relationship with NATO.”
- Trump declined to say whether he plans to announce additional US troop reductions in Europe, telling reporters: “We’re going to see.”
- He also expressed optimism over prospects for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, despite saying that nothing has changed regarding the conflict.
- Trump called Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a “nice person” despite suggesting in a post on Truth Social over the weekend that he needed a restraining order for her.
US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speak with their translators during a meeting ahead of their participation in a NATO summit, as members of the media leave the room at the Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday.
CNN’s Kevin Liptak, Alejandra Jaramillo, Aileen Graef and Ivana Kottasová contributed to this reporting
A US Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft conducts routine flying operations on October 28, 2025.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan today indicated he believes a deal is close for Ankara to buy American F-35 fighter jets and US-made jet engines for Turkey’s flagship KAAN fighter jets
Speaking about the F-35s during his bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump, Erdoğan said Turkey has “been promised five jets.”
“We believe that President Trump also has made a promise on this separately… and we are hoping that the news we have previously received is going to be productively tested towards the future,” the Turkish leader said
“President Trump has always been a man of his word, and hopefully with respect to the F-35 we will have a fruitful outcome and a decision from this leaders summit,” he added
Speaking about the US-made engines for Turkey’s KAAN jets, Erdoğan said he believed Trump “has given us some good news and I believe that he will repeat those good news again and I think with these good news, probably, I will be thanking him during this summit.”
Trump said he would soon decide whether to sell Turkey the jets despite a congressional ban. He also said he would lift sanctions imposed on Turkey over its purchase of a Russian air defense system
People run from a fire at the scene of a Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday.
US President Donald Trump expressed optimism over prospects for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, despite also saying that nothing has changed regarding the conflict
Speaking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, where this year’s NATO summit is being held, Trump said he had a “very good talk” with Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday, and that he also spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky
“They (Putin and Zelensky) both wanna get it settled now… I think we’re going to get it settled. Hopefully soon,” he added
When asked if anything had changed for him to have this opinion, including if Putin was open to any concessions, the US leader said: “Never changed.”
“I just don’t want them killing people,” Trump added, noting how many people are reportedly killed in the conflict every month
He told reporters that he has seen pictures of battlefields in the conflict, saying “people wouldn’t believe how violent it is.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s carnage and it should stop,” he said
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during a joint speech with France’s President Emmanuel Macron in Antibes, France on June 25.
US President Donald Trump called Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a “nice person” despite suggesting in a post on Truth Social over the weekend that he needed a restraining order
“I think she’s a nice person, actually, we’ve had a good week. We had a bad relationship. It became a little bad because she refused to help us again,” Trump said during a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara
“I think she’s a nice person, actually. But I think she made a mistake,” he said, referring to Italy’s refusal to help with the war in Iran
Trump said he didn’t put a “heavy press” on her for help and when she refused to get Italy involved it “soured my relationship with her a little bit.”
President Donald Trump holds a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump reiterated on Tuesday that he would like the US to control Greenland, arguing the territory is strategically vital to American security
But, he added, “that would hurt my relationship with NATO.”
During a bilateral meeting ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump went on to argue that Denmark has failed to adequately invest in Greenland and warned that the island’s location makes it increasingly important as China and Russia expand their presence in the Arctic
“Greenland doesn’t help Denmark, Denmark doesn’t spend money to really help Greenland, but it’s an important part for the United States,” the president continued
Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark,” he concluded
Trump has previously refused to rule out military action to acquire Greenland, but he largely shifted to advocating a long-term framework agreement during the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year. Even so, administration officials have continued to leave open the possibility of more aggressive measures as they argue that Greenland is essential to US national security
Czech Republic’s Prime Minister Andrej Babis, center, arrives for the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday.
An obscure domestic political row bursted into the international arena on Tuesday when the Czech Republic dispatched two competing delegations to the NATO summit in Ankara
First to land, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and his entourage were welcomed in Ankara by Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat. Not long after that, a second Czech government aircraft touched down, bringing President Petr Pavel. He was greeted by Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy
The Czech government did not explain why the two men couldn’t travel together, despite setting off from the same airport in Prague less than an hour apart
Czech President Petr Pavel is welcomed by the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy at Esenboga Airport on Tuesday.
Personal animosity likely played a major role. Pavel and Babiš have been locked in a dispute over the summit for months. Czech delegations to NATO have traditionally included both the country’s prime minister as the head of government and the president as the head of state
But last month, Babiš banned Pavel from attending the summit, prompting Pavel to launch a lawsuit with the Czech Constitutional Court. The court issued an injunction, effectively ordering Babiš to allow Pavel to go
Officially, the prime minister said he needed more “space” to negotiate and to explain why the Czech Republic is one of just three NATO countries not meeting the current defense spending targets
But the two men have clashed over multiple issues, including the government’s decision to cut defense spending as well as Pavel’s refusal to appoint a controversial anti-establishment, right-wing politician into Babiš’s government
US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan hold a bilateral meeting at the Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump declined Tuesday to say whether he plans to announce additional US troop reductions in Europe, telling reporters, “we’re going to see,” during a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara
“Well, we’re going to see,” Trump said when asked whether he is likely to announce further drawdowns of US forces in Europe
The US president also renewed his criticism of NATO, suggesting he had considered skipping the summit altogether
Trump’s comments come amid ongoing questions about the future of the US military presence in Europe. Trump has privately discussed the possibility of cutting American troop levels on the continent by roughly one-third after expressing frustration that NATO allies declined to participate in US military operations against Iran, according to people familiar with the discussions
Trump considers selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey
0:32• Source:
CNN
Trump considers selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey
0:32
US President Donald Trump said he would soon decide whether to sell Turkey F-35 fighter jets despite a congressional ban, as he praised the country as more loyal than other recipients of the plane. He added later he would lift sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of a Russian air defense system
Trump said the sales are “something certainly we consider.”
“It’s a great plane, it’s the best, currently the best plane by far, and certainly something we will consider,” he said
US officials told CNN earlier that Trump is expected to signal this week that he is willing to sell the country F-35s, reversing a ban he put in place during his first term that has since been ratified into law
How, exactly, Trump plans to get around the congressional ban on the fighter jet sales remained unclear
But Trump said Turkey had been an “extraordinary” ally, and that the US had an obligation to fulfill orders the country had already placed for the military hardware
On lifting sanctions: Asked about US sanctions that stem from Turkey’s procurement of the Russian S-400 system, Trump said they would be lifted soon
This post has been updated to reflect Trump’s comments on sanctions
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with President Donald Trump during a state arrival ceremony at Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is making Trump feel very welcome in Turkey, with honor guards, military bands and a carpet the color of Turkey’s famous Turquoise Coast
At both the airport and at the Beştepe Presidential Palace, Trump was met with the symbols of high diplomatic honors, including trumpets blaring and cannons firing
Trump has said the only reason he is attending this week’s summit is because of his close relationship with Erdoğan, and the Turkish leader appears intent on demonstrating his appreciation to the US president
He said Trump was adding “might and strength” to the summit. Similar honors have not yet been afforded to other leaders attending the conference
Trump, who is planning to signal his intent to sell Turkey F-35 fighter jets, praised Erdoğan
“We are great friends,” Trump said, extolling on the beauty of the airport, roads and a building he claimed was named for him
He said Turkey was a country to be “reckoned” with, “and the nice part is that because of the relationship that we have, it’s all gone very well.”
US President Donald Trump’s visit to the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey will see one of Israel’s closest allies engaging with one of its main adversaries
Turkey and Israel have been escalated their rhetoric recently, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be closely watching Trump’s interactions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in an interview with CNN Turk last week that Israel has become a “burden that humanity can no longer bear.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the remarks as “textbook incitement to genocide,” and urged NATO to respond. Netanyahu has raised the issue with Trump as well, according to an Israeli source
Among Israel’s primary concerns is Trump’s declared intent to sell advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, a deal Israel has been lobbying allies in Washington to block
Netanyahu made the case public in an interview on Fox News yesterday, warning that arming “a regime infected by the Muslim Brotherhood” would “upset the power balance in the Middle East which is ultimately guaranteed by Israel air superiority and by America’s posture.”
The Israeliwith Trump, arguing the sale could erode Israel’s qualitative military edge
Zelensky urges NATO for anti-ballistic systems at summit in Turkey
0:44• Source:
CNN
Zelensky urges NATO for anti-ballistic systems at summit in Turkey
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged European allies to prioritize the production of anti-ballistic missile systems while speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey
“The one thing we still need to do here in Europe is build a strong defense against Russia’s ballistic missiles,” Zelensky said. “It’s a big challenge; this is Russia’s last major advantage.”
The Ukrainian leader also described thethreat of Russia’s ballistic missiles — which have bombarded Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and killed scores of citizens on numerous occasions since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022 — as an issue of global importance
“We already see each other as reliable partners, and it would be only natural to become a part of one common security community,” Zelensky appealed to the European community
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte attend the panel “The Capability Challenge: a NATO and EU conversation” at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Europe is a stronger partner to the US than it was five years ago, spolightlighting what he described as the progress the alliance is making to shift defense dependence away from the United States
“We cannot continue, as we did, being over reliant on the United States,” Rutte said during a NATO-EU conversation with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in Turkey. “We need this much stronger Europe and a stronger NATO.”
Rutte said NATO’s priority is to expand its defense industrial bases across Europe, Canada and the US, adding that Europe has already experienced an increase of production lines in newly opened factories
“What we are seeing at the moment is a transformation, which is unparalleled since the end of the Cold War, where Europe is taking so much more responsibility for NATO,” Rutte said
“It is a NATO transformed, where the US has a strong partner in Europe, much more so than five years ago. … Therefore, all of NATO is stronger.”
US President Donald Trump walks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan as he arrives aboard Air Force One at Etimesgut Air Base for a NATO summit.
US President Donald Trump received a ceremonial welcome upon his arrival in Ankara on Tuesday ahead of a critical NATO summit, with Turkey rolling out a reception that underscored the close ties between Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
A red-carpet welcome — though the carpet was a distinctive Turquoise blue because of its connection to tradition — greeted the US president at Etimesgut Air Base, where what appeared to be a Turkish honor guard stood at attention
Erdoğan was waiting on the tarmac to welcome Trump, highlighting the relationship between the two leaders. Trump has repeatedly referred to Erdoğan as “a friend.”
The White House said Trump was also greeted upon arrival by US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Presidential Envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack, US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine
Defense spending: Last year, NATO heads of state committed that their governments would spend a total of 5% of GDP on defense and security activities by 2035, an increase from the 2% of GDP target agreed in 2014. The boost, NATO members agreed, was necessary because of the persistent threat to NATO from Russia and global terrorism. Spain secured an exception from the new rules, as long as it keeps its capability demands
However, several members are struggling to meet even the current targets and have warned that they may not be able – or willing – to raise spending. This is likely to be a major sticking point given US President Donald Trump’s focus on spending
US forces withdrawal from Europe:Trump has previously threatened to withdraw some US forces from Europe and the Pentagon has already canceled two US military deployments to Europe and ordered the removal of other personnel from the continent
At the summit, NATO’s European members will try to make the case to Trump on why US presence in Europe continues to be beneficial for both sides of the Atlantic. At the very least, they will try to get some clarity from Trump on the future of US deployments
Ukraine:Europe has struggled to step in after US withdrew its military assistance to Ukraine, even though the need for expensive weapons have only increased as Russia greatly stepped up its aerial attacks against Ukraine
Iran war: Trump has repeatedly criticised other NATO countries over their refusal to get dragged into the US-Israeli war on Iran. He has personally scolded several European leaders attending the summit, including the outgoing UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his one-time ally Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister
France’s President Emmanuel Macron, left, shakes hands with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa ahead of their meeting at the People’s Palace in Damascus on Tuesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to Damascus, Syria ahead of this week’s NATO summit in Turkey, becoming the first Western official to travel to the country since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024
This morning, an explosion went off near the Four Seasons Hotel that Macron stayed in last night. Another blast occurred beside the nearby Ministry of Tourism, a Syrian official told CNN on condition of anonymity
The French leader was unharmed and was already at Syria’s Presidential Palace when the explosions occurred, the Élysée Palace said in a statement
The blasts took place while security officers were trying to dismantle two explosive devices found during field operations, according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). At least 18 people were injured, including four police officers, SANA said
Situated in the heart of the Syrian capital, the Four Seasons Hotel is regularly used by overseas visitors to the country, including diplomats, NGO workers and journalists
Read more about the visit in our full article here
US President Donald Trump has arrived in Turkey ahead of a critical NATO summit
The president, flying aboard the new Qatar-donated Air Force One plane, landed in Ankara after an overnight flight from Washington
It was the plane’s first outing on a presidential trip overseas
Trump is expected to greet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the airport before heading to bilateral meetings at the presidential compound
A damaged gas station following a Russian air attack in Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, on Tuesday.
As NATO leaders gather in Ankara today with Ukraine a focal point of the agenda, Russia continues to wage a campaign against the infrastructure of ordinary Ukrainian life, targeting fuel stations, destroying postal hubs and sending missiles into apartment blocks in the middle of the night
Over 150 gas stations have burned down in two months CEO of WOG, one of Ukraine’s largest fuel chains, who said that oil depots and other fuel infrastructure facilities come under attack almost every week
In Chernihiv, Russian strikes on gas stations have become almost a daily occurrence, according to local authorities, who said that there have been 25 such strikes in June and July alone. On Monday, in Zaporizhzhia, a woman and an 11-year-old boy were wounded when a station was hit, officials said. And on Sunday, in Izyum, a 19-year-old was killed and four women were injured, authorities said, when Russian forces reportedly struck a gas station with a Tornado-S rocket system
Russia has also repeatedly targeted Nova Post, Ukraine’s largest private postal and courier company. On Tuesday, the postal service’s terminal in Kryvyi Rih, in central Ukraine, was attacked, the company said, and in June, a missile destroyed its flagship Kyiv sorting terminal
Around 200 drones strike border territories and cities daily adviser to Ukraine’s defense minister, with Russian forces increasingly switching to jet-powered Shaheds, which are harder to intercept than other models
Meanwhile, attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding areas continue to affect civilian life. At least 27 people were killed in strikes on the Kyiv region on Monday, authorities said today. It was the second large-scale attack in just a week; last Thursday, 30 people were killed in the third deadliest assault on the Ukrainian capital since the war began
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, center right, arrives for the NATO Summit in Ankara on Tuesday.
Ukraine is not a NATO member but its President Volodymyr Zelensky has become a frequent guest at the defense alliance’s gatherings as his country continues to defend itself against the Russian aggression
As he arrived to Ankara on Tuesday, Zelensky said that his main goal from the summit is to secure more air defenses for Kyiv
“We will continue to work on bolstering Ukraine’s air defense. New systems, missiles for them, and the issue of production licenses – all of this is our priority,” he said on X
For the past couple of months Ukraine has been mostly able to fend off Russia’s mass aerial attacks against its cities and save lives by taking out Moscow’s drones and missiles using a combination of smart technology, scrappy military tactics and western-supplied weapons
But that has changed this month. A Russian attack on Kyiv killed 30 people in Kyiv last week. Just four days later, another Russian assault on the Ukrainian capital left 19 people dead
The unusually high death toll is almost certainly down to Kyiv’s acute shortage of patriot missiles — the only air defence weapon capable of taking done these kind go missiles
Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials said the country is facing a “critical shortage” and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said last week it sent letters to nearly 40 countries asking them to provide them with Patriot missiles from their existing stocks as soon as possible. It said this would be “in exchange for future deliveries already contracted for Ukraine.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks during a press conference ahead of a NATO leaders summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Monday.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with United States President Donald Trump at the White House last month, working to smooth things over with the American leader ahead of this week’s NATO summit
Rutte has cultivated a largely positive relationship with Trump. His fawning praise of Trump has earned him ridicule from some fellow European officials, but he has emerged as a pivotal figure for a frazzled Europe struggling to get through to the US president
The fear among some allies is Trump, angry that members of the alliance failed to join him in the war against Iran, will use the Turkey NATO conference to announce major shifts in US support for the 77-year-old alliance. Already, the Pentagon has said it is conducting a six-month review of US force posture in Europe
His relationship with Trump goes back years. As Dutch leader from 2010 to 2024, Rutte made several visits to Washington, DC, during Trump’s first term, laying the ground for a charm offensive that appears to have served him — and the military alliance he now heads — well
Rutte’s most famous act of Trump-soothing diplomacy came at a NATO meeting last year. After the US president used an expletive in response to hostilities between Israel and Iran, and then the analogy of two children fighting to describe their deadly conflict, Rutte joked in front of the world’s cameras: “Daddy has to sometimes use strong language.”
NATO making “remarkable progress” in its mission to strengthen defense cooperation, Rutte says
0:36• Source:
CNN
NATO making “remarkable progress” in its mission to strengthen defense cooperation, Rutte says
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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance has made “remarkable progress” a year on from setting its mission to strengthen cooperation through investment in defense and localized production that reduces reliance on non-allied suppliers
Rutte’s comments at the outset of the summit highlight European commitments to defense spending, a salient issue for US President Donald Trump who has repeatedly criticized the alliance and called on allies to “step up.”
Rutte emphasized that industries across Europe are working “hand in hand” with their North American counterparts to innovate and develop next generation capabilities
Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen supported Rutte’s claim, confirming that Denmark is meeting NATO’s targets. “Europe must arm ourselves so that we can take care of our people and our society. From the Danish side, we are delivering,” Frederiksen revealed
The Danish leader threw attention to the perceived threat Europe faces from Russia, as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine persists
CNN’s James Frater contributed to this reporting
