In addition, the threats from Russia and the “NATO 2030” reform initiative will play a prominent role. The top meeting is of particular importance because it is the first with the new US President Joe Biden. He has promised to normalize the very tense relations between NATO and the United States under his predecessor Donald Trump.
After the G7 summit in Cornwall, England, Biden arrived in Brussels on Sunday evening. The White House announced Biden’s clear commitment to the alliance. “During the summit, the president will reaffirm NATO’s lasting transatlantic ties,” said a statement. Biden will also underline “the iron commitment of the United States to Article 5” for collective defense. “An attack on one is an attack on all and will be answered with a collective answer.”
Regardless of the consequences, Trump had repeatedly aroused doubts as to whether the US would meet its obligation to provide military assistance in an emergency. In addition, there was the unsettled announcement of a withdrawal of US troops from Germany and other solo efforts. To the horror of the Allies, Trump even threatened to leave NATO.
The White House communication said the Allies would “launch an ambitious package of initiatives at Monday’s meeting to ensure that NATO can provide security to our citizens by 2030 and beyond.” NATO was “the most powerful and successful alliance in history,” it said. “The transatlantic relationship is based on a foundation of shared democratic values.”
Specifically, the heads of state and government want to commission the revision of the current strategic concept, among other things. The current version was adopted in 2010. At that time, for example, the Allies still hoped that major tensions with Russia would be over. However, developments such as the Ukraine conflict and the further rise of China to a military world power followed. This will now be dealt with in the revision of the strategic concept.
In addition, decisions on plans to increase the NATO budget and to expand political consultations within the alliance are expected.
At the G7 summit in Cornwall, the leading western industrialized countries agreed, among other things, on a tougher course towards China and sharply criticized Russia. After the summit, Biden reiterated: “I think we are in a competition, not just with China, but in a competition with autocrats, autocratic governments around the world.” For his eagerly awaited summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva on Wednesday, he got the backing of the G7.
For Chancellor Angela Merkel, it should be the last NATO summit. The CDU politician will resign after the federal election in autumn and has repeatedly emphasized that she is no longer available for other offices. She is therefore out of the question as the successor to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, whose term of office expires in the autumn of next year.