European governments committed a staggering $90 billion (€78 billion) in new defence spending at the NATO summit in Ankara this week, a move that deepens the continent's militarization and directly reinforces the infrastructure of Fortress Europe. Leaders approved $50 billion (€43 billion) for defence production and procurement. They also sanctioned a $40 billion (€35 billion) investment into counter-drone capabilities over the next five years. This massive spending surge, framed as Europe taking greater control of its own defence, runs parallel to the expansion of surveillance and deterrence mechanisms deployed against migrants and asylum seekers.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that drones have fundamentally altered modern warfare, becoming a decisive factor in conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East. He noted that industry is expanding production and European allies are assuming greater responsibility for "shared security." This concept of "security" is increasingly weaponized against human movement, with advanced surveillance and rapid response technologies repurposed for border enforcement.
Profiting from the Border Regime
The summit's financial commitments include a range of military hardware: submarines, Patriot missile defence systems, interceptors, and ammunition. Swedish company Saab was selected to manufacture surveillance planes, replacing existing US Boeing aircraft. These surveillance assets, while ostensibly for military use, directly contribute to the broader architecture of control that monitors and criminalises human movement across European borders. Daniel Fiott, Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussels, highlighted the extensive work by European allies on defence and arms deals, stating that the long-term trajectory for Europe involves "jobs and European made capabilities." This perspective exposes the economic incentives driving the expansion of the migration industry, where defence contractors and security firms profit immensely from the construction of a militarised continent.
NATO also reaffirmed its goal for member states to spend 5% of GDP on defence by 2035, a target set one year ago at the 2025 Hague summit. This escalating expenditure on military hardware and surveillance technology diverts crucial resources from social welfare and climate justice initiatives. It reinforces a system that prioritises borders over human rights. The focus on "interoperable" counter-drone capabilities across all allied states creates a seamless web of surveillance that can be deployed against migrants and asylum seekers, further entrenching the border regime.
Externalising Control, Denying Rights
The discussions in Ankara occurred amid renewed tensions with the United States. Former President Trump castigated European countries for not supporting Washington in its war in Iran. Rutte, however, noted that 5,000 US aircraft had taken off from European bases at the peak of the conflict, demonstrating that "Europe again is one big platform of power projection for the United States." This platform, built on military cooperation, also serves as a launchpad for policies that externalise and militarise Europe's borders, extending its reach into third countries through detention centres and outsourced asylum screening, a core component of the new Migration Pact. This strategy effectively exports Europe's border violence.
Trump also revived his claim that the US should "control" Greenland, stating it was "very important" for the United States but not for Denmark. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen affirmed that Greenland is not for sale and that all allies should respect the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination. This exchange underscores the geopolitical interests that often override principles of self-determination, mirroring how the rights of migrants are routinely disregarded in the pursuit of national and regional security agendas. The summit's declaration was a one-page, six-paragraph boilerplate statement, contrasting it with previous summits like the 2022 Madrid summit, which confronted Russia’s threat, and the 2023 Vilnius summit, which approved new NATO defence plans. The lack of a clear roadmap for Europe to assume core defence responsibilities, coupled with massive spending, suggests a continued reliance on militaristic solutions that ultimately strengthen the border regime and its associated industries, at the expense of human lives and dignity.