The Ankara NATO summit proves the alliance is finally getting serious about burden-sharing, with members moving to implement a 5% GDP defense spending target. The U.S. has carried an absurd load — nearly $1 trillion compared to the next highest ally's $90.5 billion — and that imbalance can't stand. A stronger Europe in a stronger NATO means allies must step up and stop freeloading off American taxpayers.
Europe's push toward strategic autonomy at Ankara exposes a hard truth: the continent can't actually defend itself without the U.S. umbrella. With 179 weapons models versus America's 33, and European nations buying less than 20% of defense equipment from their own industry, the alliance's industrial gap is alarming. Summits like Ankara risk becoming arms bazaars that deepen European dependency rather than fix it.
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