EU-NATO cooperation to deepen ahead of Ankara summit

Brussels, April 16, 2026 — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte agreed on Thursday to step up cooperation between the European Union and NATO. The two leaders met in Brussels to discuss tightening coordination and to prepare for an upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara.

The talks centered on increasing Europe’s defense industrial output. Von der Leyen said Europe needs more investment, quicker production, and faster delivery of defense capabilities, framing the push as a practical requirement for meeting current security needs.

Officials linked the renewed effort to a rise in global security threats, which they said is driving both organizations to work more closely in the coming weeks. Rutte echoed the message, saying that a stronger Europe supports a stronger NATO, and presented the cooperation as mutually reinforcing for the alliance and the EU.

The stated objective is to strengthen the EU-NATO strategic partnership as geopolitical conditions evolve and as the Ankara summit approaches. The meeting signaled an intent to align priorities and accelerate workstreams that connect European industrial capacity with NATO’s broader defense posture.