Trump heads to Turkey for NATO summit as Russia attacks Ukraine

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump is attending a NATO summit in Turkey amid ongoing tensions due to Russia's military aggression in Ukraine and U.S. demands for increased defense spending by NATO members.
• The summit aims to address burden-sharing among NATO allies and intensify pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasizing the need to convert commitments into concrete actions.
• Recent Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, killing at least 11 people, have heightened the urgency of the Ukraine conflict as a central topic at the summit, with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy seeking increased military aid, especially for air defenses.
• Trump held a lengthy phone call with Putin, expressing optimism about ending the war, and also spoke with Zelenskyy, though his previous praise of Putin and skepticism about boosting Ukraine's military support raise questions about his stance.
• Experts like Michael O'Hanlon remain cautious about the prospects for a peace deal, noting a lack of evidence that Putin is ready to negotiate an end to the conflict despite Trump's hopeful assertions.