NATO is in turmoil just as the military alliance confronts the deadliest conflict on its doorstep since World War II. At a summit in The Hague this week, European leaders tried to convince President Donald Trump not to withdraw US troops and weaponry from the region or pull the military aid that’s helped Ukraine avoid being overrun by Russian forces.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised President Donald Trump for making Europe “pay in a BIG way,” as leaders gathered in the Netherlands on Tuesday for a historic summit that could unite them around a new defense spending pledge or widen divisions among the 32 member countries of the security alliance.

In their rush to retain Donald Trump's support for NATO, the alliance's European members have promised to more than double the amount of wealth they set aside for military spending.