NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend the alliance’s upcoming summit in Ankara, according to Politico reports published May 22. The invitation is notable because the United States has reportedly resisted efforts to bring non-NATO leaders into the gathering. Ukraine is not a NATO member, but its war with Russia has remained a central issue for the alliance and a recurring point of coordination among allied governments.
The report was part of a broader set of developments involving Rutte, the United States and NATO’s eastern members. In another May 22 article, Politico said Rutte and Polish officials welcomed President Donald Trump’s reversal on the presence of NATO troops in Europe. Polish officials described the decision as evidence that Poland remains an “ironclad ally” of Washington. Poland has been among the alliance members most focused on deterrence and military readiness along NATO’s eastern flank.
A separate May 21 report described Rutte’s effort to keep the Trump administration committed to NATO by encouraging European allies to buy more military equipment from the United States. The approach would place greater emphasis on defense industry deals while addressing Europe’s shortfall in weapons production capacity. According to the report, Rutte sees U.S. procurement as both a practical way to fill gaps and a political tool for maintaining American support.
Together, the reports suggest Rutte is trying to manage several NATO priorities at once: keeping Ukraine involved in alliance discussions, reassuring eastern members such as Poland, strengthening defense production and preserving U.S. engagement. The Ankara summit is expected to test how these goals fit together, particularly as allies balance support for Ukraine with differing views on NATO’s relationship with non-member partners and the role of American military power in Europe. The discussions may also shape expectations for future burden-sharing within the alliance.