**NATO Summit to Focus on Flattering Trump, Sidelining Ukraine**
In a move designed to appease US President Donald Trump, the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague will have a narrowed focus, with only one session devoted to defense spending. This decision is aimed at satisfying Trump’s demands and providing him with a victory to celebrate.
According to Politico, European defense officials have confirmed that the summit’s organizers have shortened the meeting from two days to 24 hours to keep the focus on Trump and deliver a success story for the US president. The summit will take place on June 24-25.
One European official was quoted as saying, “Everything else is being streamlined to minimize risk.” This suggests that the organizers are trying to avoid controversy and criticism by limiting the agenda to a single, manageable topic.
**No Meeting of Ukraine Council**
In another concession to Trump, there will be no meeting of NATO’s Ukraine council at the summit. This decision represents a significant shift in priorities, as the war in Ukraine has been a major focus for NATO summits in recent years.
Despite this, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is still expected to attend the summit, despite earlier reports that he might skip it altogether. The Ukrainian leader had hoped to use the summit as an opportunity to reset relations with Trump, but the absence of a meeting on Ukraine suggests that this may not be possible.
**Trump’s Priorities**
The sidelining of Ukraine and the focus on defense spending reflect Trump’s priorities for the summit. The US president has been vocal in his support for raising NATO’s defense spending target to 5% of GDP, but he has also made it clear that he considers the US exempt from this requirement.
By keeping the focus on defense spending and avoiding controversy, the organizers of the summit are trying to deliver a success story for Trump. The president plans to give a speech at the end of the summit celebrating the new spending benchmark and his own contributions to the pledge.
**Long-term Consequences**
The decision to sideline Ukraine and prioritize defense spending may have long-term consequences for the alliance. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has acknowledged that the language on Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine may be excluded from the joint communique, a move that could undermine support for Ukraine within the alliance.
As one European official was quoted as saying, “The priority is really to announce success in The Hague. The longer-term perspective is less important.” This suggests that the organizers of the summit are willing to sacrifice long-term goals and priorities for short-term gains and success stories.
**US Commitment to NATO**
The sidelining of Ukraine and the focus on defense spending also raise questions about the US commitment to NATO. Trump’s “America First” doctrine has repeatedly cast doubt on Washington’s commitment to transatlantic alliances, especially NATO.
In recent years, Trump has alarmed member states by questioning whether the US should defend alliance members that do not meet military spending benchmarks. This has created uncertainty and tension within the alliance, and may ultimately undermine the effectiveness of NATO in responding to global security challenges.
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