LONDON — Air Chief Marshal Sir John Stringer, NATO's deputy supreme allied commander in Europe, called for the upcoming alliance summit in Ankara to address increased defense spending, reaffirm support for Ukraine, and demonstrate unity. The summit is scheduled for July 7-8 in Turkey.

Speaking to the Associated Press in London, Stringer underlined the political nature of such gatherings. "Summits are highly political events and they are a demonstration of any organization's unity," he said. "Are we in one of those moments at the moment? Yes, we are."

Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Defense Secretary, announced a six-month review of American forces in Europe. The U.S. military previously stated that Washington would withdraw some capabilities from the continent. Administration officials stated that troop reductions were planned over an extended period and coordinated with allies. In May, President Trump said he would send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland, after previously ordering 5,000 troops pulled from Europe.

Stringer noted the difficulty of replacing certain U.S. military assets, specifically long-range strike and surveillance capabilities, though he expressed confidence that allies could bridge gaps through a mix of systems. Finland's Brigadier General Jyri Raitasalo, the military's logistics chief, emphasized the need for consistent planning. "If you change your mind, or change your plan, every week or every month or even every year, you will not get very good results," Raitasalo said. He added that the meeting must move beyond traditional communiques, roadmaps, and action plans.

In Estonia, Major General Indrek Sirel indicated uncertainty regarding the positioning of U.S. forces in the Baltic states but expressed confidence in a continued U.S. presence. Raitasalo stated, "Europe as a whole has a lot to do in order to be credible against Russia." Stringer mentioned that some European countries are quadrupling production of 155 mm artillery shells. Sweden's army chief, Major General Jonny Lindfors, said a positive outcome would be "a common picture of how to realign when it comes to deterrence and defense."