Prime Minister Bart De Wever has described the NATO summit in Ankara as a success, saying discussions among allies remained constructive despite tensions surrounding recent US military strikes on Iran.
Speaking alongside Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) and Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) after the summit, De Wever said there had been "no false notes" around the negotiating table.
"I can only judge by what I heard in the room. In that respect, the summit was certainly a success," he said, adding differing opinions among allies were normal. He noted that US President Donald Trump expressed satisfaction with the outcome in his closing remarks.
De Wever also said there had been broad agreement on a new military support package for Ukraine worth €70 billion in both 2026 and 2027. While allies may disagree on how to achieve their objectives, he said there was consensus on the overall direction.
During his intervention, the Belgian prime minister said he twice called for "mutual respect" within the alliance, arguing that public support for higher defence spending would depend on allies acting as partners rather than appearing to respond to external pressure.
The summit was overshadowed by US strikes on Iran, which took place overnight during the gathering. De Wever acknowledged that NATO allies had not been informed in advance of the operation.
He noted that alliance members had likewise not been consulted before the US-Israeli offensive launched earlier this year, saying many allies found it difficult to reconcile being excluded from such decisions while simultaneously being expected to shoulder greater responsibilities.
Despite those tensions, De Wever described the exchanges as measured and said he had full confidence in NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, praising his efforts to keep the alliance united during what he called an exceptionally difficult period.
