Preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit Ankara 2026, scheduled for July 7–8 in Ankara, have entered their final phase following the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.
The summit is expected to focus heavily on defense spending, military readiness, and the future role of European allies within NATO, amid continued calls from U.S. President Donald Trump for European countries to assume greater responsibility for continental security.
According to diplomatic sources, several European allies have already begun discussions on how to compensate for a potential reduction of U.S. military forces in Europe.
Against this backdrop, Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anusic indicated in Brussels that Croatia is prepared to increase the number of its troops serving in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR.
The statement comes after NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Alexus G. Grynkewich, announced that the alliance is reviewing the size of the KFOR mission.
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that KFOR’s troop levels could be reduced from approximately 4,700 personnel to between 3,000 and 3,500 troops, returning to levels seen before 2023 due to improvements in the security environment.
At the same time, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged European allies to take on a greater share of responsibility for Europe’s defense.
“Allies are expected to step up and do their part,” Hegseth said, warning that Washington will closely evaluate which countries are contributing sufficiently to NATO’s collective security efforts.
The possibility of Croatia increasing its contingent in Kosovo reflects a broader trend among European NATO members seeking to strengthen their role in regional stability, particularly in the Western Balkans, as the alliance adapts to changing security priorities.
