The Ankara Summit Declaration (2026), consisting of just six paragraphs, contains no explicit commitment relating to humanitarian issues, human rights, human security or gender equality. The only reference to the Alliance's shared values is the expression "free and democratic nations" in the opening paragraph.

The Declaration is devoted entirely to Article 5, the implementation of the defence investment pledge agreed at The Hague Summit (more than USD 139 billion in additional European and Canadian defence investment in 2025 and over USD 50 billion in new procurement programmes), capability modernisation—including the adoption of "powerful AI models" and the development of a transatlantic "warfighting cloud"—military support for Ukraine amounting to EUR 70 billion in 2026, and deterrence vis-à-vis Iran.

This is the second consecutive Summit, following The Hague Summit (2025), whose Declaration contains no reference whatsoever to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, human security, the protection of civilians, or international humanitarian law (IHL).

HRIC considers this omission no longer episodic but structural. In our assessment, it weakens the political mandate of NATO policy frameworks that formally remain in force—most notably the NATO Policy on Women, Peace and Security (2024), endorsed by Heads of State and Government at the Washington Summit (2024)—while simultaneously narrowing the space for civil society accountability.

Final Recommendations

On the basis of the foregoing analysis, HRIC calls upon the Governments of Allied States, national delegations to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and the relevant NATO bodies to:

1. Restore declaratory language

Reintroduce explicit references to human rights, the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, human security, and international humanitarian law into future Summit Declarations, in line with the Strategic Concept (2022) and the NATO Policy on Women, Peace and Security (2024) endorsed by the same Heads of State and Government.

2. Strengthen conditionality and accountability in support for Ukraine

Accompany military assistance commitments—including the announced EUR 70 billion for 2026—with explicit references to the protection of civilians, compliance with international humanitarian law, and support for accountability mechanisms addressing international crimes, including the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children.

3. Ensure implementation and transparency of the NATO Policy on Women, Peace and Security (2024)

Publish regular implementation updates on the Policy and its Action Plan, supported by measurable indicators and periodic reporting. Ensure that the Office of the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security and the Civil Society Advisory Panel receive the political mandate, institutional support and resources necessary to fulfil their functions.

4. Integrate a gender perspective into NATO's evolving capability agenda

Ensure that the expansion of procurement, artificial intelligence and warfighting infrastructure incorporates gender and human rights impact assessments, in line with the commitments contained in the NATO Policy on Women, Peace and Security (2024) regarding the gender dimensions of AI and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

5. Strengthen safeguards governing military AI

Publicly commit to ensuring that the deployment of the "powerful AI models" and the "warfighting cloud" announced in Ankara is fully consistent with the NATO Principles of Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (2021), including meaningful human oversight and verifiable compliance with international humanitarian law.

6. Reinforce parliamentary oversight and civil society engagement

Encourage national delegations to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to request formal explanations regarding the omissions contained in the 2025 and 2026 Summit Declarations and to promote a resolution supporting the systematic reintegration of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and human security into future Summit documents. At the same time, maintain and strengthen structured consultation mechanisms with civil society organisations.

Read our Feedback Note on the Ankata Nato Summit here.