&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Hormuz navigation, collective defence, support for Ukraine: Key takeaways from NATO's Ankara declaration")
NATO countries on Wednesday (July 8) reiterated that "Iran must never have a nuclear weapon" and called on Tehran to "fully respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," hours after the United States and Iran traded strikes, including a massive US strike on more than 80 targets in Iran, and Donald Trump announced that the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington is "over." That ceasefire had been based on the 14-point memorandum of understanding (the Islamabad Memorandum) signed on June 17.
These statements are part of the Ankara Summit Declaration, adopted by the 32-nation military bloc following the 2026 NATO summit held on July 7 to 8. The summit saw participation from all member nations, including host Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Several key non-member leaders also participated, most notably Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, and European Council President António Costa.
NATO allies reaffirmed collective defence under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty and the transatlantic bond, describing it as "an attack on one is an attack on all," the Ankara Summit Declaration reads.
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The countries announced more than $50 billion in new defence procurements and vowed to expand collective manufacturing capacity, working in tandem with industry to accelerate innovation. This is in addition to the $139 billion increase in defence investment recorded in 2025, in response to what it described as the "long-term threat Russia poses to Euro-Atlantic security and stability, and the persistent threat of terrorism."
The declaration also announced "unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," while crediting Kyiv with contributing to transatlantic security.
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They further pledged massive funding for Ukraine's war effort against Russia, affirming sovereign commitments to sustain at least the same €70 billion level of assistance in 2027 as in 2026.
"For 2026, Allies pledge €70 billion in military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine and affirm their sovereign commitments to sustaining at least equivalent levels in 2027. To this end, we welcome the European Union's decision to provide multi-year funding to Ukraine through the Ukraine Support Loan."
