Fate of NATO leaders' summit remains uncertain

The NATO leaders' summit held in Ankara this week witnessed critical developments behind the scenes. US President Donald Trump's ongoing criticisms of the alliance have made the future of NATO's traditional leaders' meetings a subject of debate. Trump's explicit statement that he only made the visit to Ankara due to his close relationship with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, coupled with his disparagement of the military alliance, has increased allies' concerns regarding the next summit.

According to reports from behind the scenes, the possibility that the annual NATO summit could be postponed or even canceled in the future has been seriously brought to the agenda. One of the starting points for these discussions has been the harsh criticisms Trump frequently directs at allies and his stance questioning his support for the alliance.

There is a focus on the possibility that the summit, which was announced to be hosted by Albania next year, may not take place as planned under current conditions. Diplomatic sources state that the intention behind this potential postponement is to prevent Trump from making outbursts against NATO.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte advocates for the continuation of annual meetings at the leaders' level. It is noted that Rutte has provided Trump with up-to-date data regarding the increases in member countries' defense spending, but it remains unclear whether this approach will convince Trump.

On the other hand, concerns regarding Albania's defense budget are also on the table. Albania, which until recently could not meet NATO's target of allocating at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product to defense, is at the center of criticism due to both financial obligations and potential disruptions in hosting. These developments could pave the way for Trump to bring new criticisms to the alliance over financial burden-sharing.

A concrete indicator of these discussions at the Ankara summit was seen in the draft of the final declaration. The declaration does not contain any statement regarding the location or date of the next summit.

One of the clearest institutional statements on the matter came from high-ranking NATO military official Giuseppe Cavo Dragone. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Dragone confirmed that the summit would take place in Albania. However, he added that a final decision on which year it will be held has not yet been made.

In this period when geopolitical tension is rising and the US provides the largest contribution to the NATO budget, the instability in the alliance's meeting calendar is being evaluated as an indicator that NATO is struggling with a fragile balance under Trump's leadership.

News Source: 12punto