NATO-EU Defence Industry Push: What Von der Leyen and Rutte Said in Türkiye

At the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara, Türkiye, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discuss one of Europe’s most urgent security questions: how to turn higher defence spending into real military capability. Their conversation focuses on NATO-EU cooperation, industrial capacity, Ukraine’s innovation, military mobility, resilience, and the need for Europe to take greater responsibility inside a stronger transatlantic alliance. Chapters: 00:00 NATO-EU Defence Industry Forum Opens in Ankara 02:02 Von der Leyen on NATO-EU Cooperation and Interoperability 03:07 Europe’s €800 Billion Defence Investment Push 05:08 Rutte: Stronger Europe Inside a Stronger NATO 07:58 Türkiye, SAFE and Non-EU Allies in Defence Projects 09:12 Ukraine’s Battlefield Innovation and EU Defence Partnerships 11:36 NATO Defence Production Push Across Europe, Canada and the US 14:28 Resilience, Hybrid Threats and Whole-of-Society Defence This video features the moderated session “The Capability Challenge: a NATO-EU Conversation”, with Ursula von der Leyen and Mark Rutte speaking at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara. The discussion highlights how NATO and the European Union are aligning their roles: NATO on command and control, capabilities and standards, and the EU on investment, military mobility, societal resilience and strengthening Europe’s defence industrial base. Von der Leyen sets out the EU’s defence investment agenda, including the ReArm Europe programme, which she says mobilises up to €800 billion until 2030, the SAFE instrument with €150 billion for joint procurement, and the next EU long-term budget with €131 billion for military capabilities plus €17 billion for mobility. Rutte stresses that Europe, Canada and the United States must produce more across the defence industrial base, while maintaining a strong NATO and a strong transatlantic bond. Why it matters The conversation underlines a central message from both leaders: Europe needs to become more capable without weakening NATO. Rutte frames this as a stronger Europe inside a stronger alliance, while von der Leyen stresses interoperability, joint procurement, military mobility and close alignment with NATO targets. The session also focuses on partners beyond the EU. Türkiye is described as one of NATO’s largest armed forces, with significant defence industrial capacity, while Ukraine is presented as a source of battlefield-tested innovation. Both leaders connect defence production with resilience, democratic security and a wider whole-of-society approach. Key facts The discussion took place at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara, Türkiye. The session was titled “The Capability Challenge: a NATO-EU Conversation.” Speakers included Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General. Von der Leyen said the EU’s ReArm Europe programme mobilises up to €800 billion until 2030. She said SAFE includes €150 billion for joint procurement. She also referred to €131 billion for military capabilities and €17 billion for mobility in the next EU long-term budget. Von der Leyen said 35% of SAFE cost components can go outside the EU, while 65% must remain in the EU. Rutte said Türkiye has around 3,000 defence industrial companies working across different company sizes and export markets. Voices in the video Ursula von der Leyen: “We need a massive surge in defense investment.” Ursula von der Leyen: “We have our Rearm Europe program, which mobilizes up to 800 billion euros till 2030.” Mark Rutte: “We cannot continue, as we did, being over-reliant on the United States.” Mark Rutte: “We need this much stronger Europe in a stronger NATO.” Mark Rutte: “Russia, working with North Korea, Iran, and China, let’s not be naive.” Nothing in the source indicates a new contract, a newly adopted government decision, or a guaranteed production increase from this forum alone. Watch the full Europe Pulse video for the complete NATO-EU conversation from Ankara.