On 24 and 25 June, the heads of state and government of the 32 NATO member countries, as well as their partners and the European Union, were due to meet for a summit in The Hague. The US bombardment of strategic Iranian sites has turned the agenda upside down, with support for Ukraine in the face of Russia‘s invasion taking a back seat, despite the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
While all eyes were on Donald Trump – whom the NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte had designed the meeting to please – the question of investment in defense capabilities remained at the top of the agenda. NATO members are expected to agree to allocate 5% of their respective GDP to defense by 2035. The ambitious target is designed to protect Europe, deter Russia and send the desired signal to the man in the White House.
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