NATO leaders gathered in the Turkish capital on Wednesday to discuss defense spending and continued aid to Ukraine, but US President Donald Trump’s decision to launch a new attack on Iran overnight is likely to overshadow the proceedings.
Iran has vowed a “firm response” to U.S. attacks on Iranian targets that stemmed from an Iranian attack on a merchant ship, and immediately fired drones and missiles at Gulf neighbors Bahrain and Kuwait, which host U.S. military bases.
The gunfight poses the biggest threat yet to the fragile ceasefire between the two countries, which was renewed in a memorandum of understanding signed last month.
Although this is not the first time the two countries have traded strikes since signing the memorandum of understanding, the move by the US to reimpose sanctions on Iranian oil sales is an escalation that is likely to complicate the next round of negotiations towards a long-term peace deal.
The U.S. attack began shortly after Trump left a dinner hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that also included NATO leaders who have sought to smooth relations with U.S. leaders and demonstrate that Europe is a strong partner for the United States.
NATO allies were keen on Tuesday to highlight their progress in increasing defense spending and shifting dependence from the United States. President Trump, who had considered skipping the annual meeting entirely, renewed his criticism of NATO and what he sees as a lack of allies’ support for the Iran war.
The airstrikes also come amid questions about the future of the U.S. military presence in Europe, as President Trump has signaled further reductions in U.S. troops. The fear among some allies is that President Trump, angered by the alliance’s failure to join the war against Iran, will use the meeting to announce a major change in U.S. support for the 77-year-old alliance.
CNN’s Kevin Liptak and Ivana Kottasova contributed reporting.
