Will NATO skip the next summit?

Discussions regarding a potential cancellation gained momentum during the ongoing NATO summit in Ankara. The mere fact that this year’s summit is taking place in its current format and with its present lineup should be considered a success. Until the very end, it was uncertain whether U.S. President Donald Trump would participate in the event. When he arrived in Ankara on Tuesday, he stated that he had come to the Turkish capital only because of the warm relations he shares with President Erdogan. Afterwards, he proceeded to criticise the Alliance.

As reported by Bloomberg, the likelihood that next year’s summit will not take place at all is increasing due to Donald Trump’s continuous questioning of the Alliance’s strength and significance. Albania is slated to host the event, a country among the group of allies that spend the least on defence—below 2% of their GDP.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is striving to maintain the tradition of annual Alliance summits. In Ankara, he is attempting to impress Trump by praising the increasing defence spending of member states.

At this time, it is known that the final communique of the Ankara summit will not include a reference to the next meeting. Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, told Bloomberg that the summit would be held in Albania; however, whether it will take place next year or the year after remains a subject of discussion.