Will the 2028 NATO summit not take place?

NATO officials are reportedly considering abandoning the long-standing tradition of holding annual North Atlantic Alliance summits. One of the reasons behind this proposal is said to be an effort to minimize the number of events that could further aggravate the already tense atmosphere within the Alliance.

No NATO Summit in 2028?

According to Reuters, some NATO members have also voiced concerns about the rapid pace of change and the disruption caused by annual summits. In the view of some diplomats and analysts, the current format makes long-term planning more difficult.  But that is not all. As reported, the idea has also emerged in response to the actions of US President Donald Trump and his open criticism of the Alliance.

Since the next two NATO summits have already been scheduled and are practically impossible to cancel (Ankara in 2026 and Tirana in 2027), the first potential opportunity to discontinue the annual meeting format would be 2028, the final year of Trump’s term in office and the year of the next U.S. presidential election. A meaningful coincidence or mere chance? That is a question each observer must answer for themselves.

Voices in favor

Another question arises: what format could replace the existing system of annual meetings?  Reuters reports that one proposal under consideration is to hold summits every two years. Such an arrangement is expected to bring greater structure and predictability to the Alliance’s work.  Reuters reported that NATO will continue to hold regular meetings of heads of state and government, and in the periods between summits, NATO allies will continue consultations, planning, and decision-making concerning our shared security.

One of the diplomats told Reuters that it is better to have fewer summits than bad summits. He added that NATO already has plenty of work ahead, and that the alliance knows what needs to be done. Dr. Phyllis Berry of the Atlantic Council said reducing the number of high-profile summits would allow NATO to focus on its core tasks and ease the tensions that have accompanied many recent transatlantic meetings.

This year’s NATO summit will take place on 7th and 8th July in Ankara, Turkey. If the faction supporting this initiative prevails within NATO, next year’s summit in Tirana, Albania, would be the last to take place under the annual format.