Trump and Zelenskyy could shake up NATO summit agenda - NYT
Photo: NATO summit could get complicated (Getty Images)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expects a short and conflict-free summit of the alliance on June 24-25 in the Netherlands. The main topic should be new targets for defense spending, reports New York Times.
However, as the media notes, the participation of US President Donald Trump and the invitation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may cause tension.
Doubts about Ukraine's participation
It is unclear whether Zelenskyy will be invited to the official dinner and whether he will participate in the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting. Instead, the Ukrainian president may be invited to a parallel defense industry forum.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said: “I fully expect Zelensky to be at The Hague. In what capacity, we’re discussing.”
Disagreements with Trump
Trump opposes Ukraine's membership in NATO and is curtailing support for Kyiv while seeking to normalize relations with Russia. While US arms shipments continue, further funding from Congress is in question.
The summit will be held against the backdrop of the US pullout from being the main guarantor of European security. A review of the US military presence on the continent is underway, which could lead to the withdrawal or redeployment of some of the 84,000 troops. The United States emphasizes that it will not allow a security vacuum but calls on Europe to take responsibility more quickly.
New targets for defense spending
The summit will propose replacing the previous target of 2% of GDP for defense with a new one: 3.5% for the armed forces and 1.5% for military-related expenses (e.g., infrastructure for troop movement). The United States supports this goal.
Currently, 23 out of 32 NATO countries are already meeting the current norm, but experts emphasize that much more is needed to compensate for a possible US withdrawal.
Background
NATO has grown stronger since the beginning of Russia's war against Ukraine, but no consensus has yet been reached on new spending. NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska emphasized: “This is our core goal. It’s a huge deal, but it’s not a done deal.”
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that the NATO summit to be held in June in The Hague will be held with a shortened program.
