“We are part of NATO’s defense system”: political analysts name the main political event of the week
27 June 18:53
EXCLUSIVE
The meeting of the leaders of the North Atlantic Alliance and Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s talks with Donald Trump were, in the opinion of Ukrainian political analysts, the key political event of the week. The NATO summit not only set the course for the next year, but also showed that despite political risks, the Alliance maintains its strategic support for Ukraine.
NATO Summit in The Hague: Historic decisions for the Alliance and challenging signals for Ukraine
on June 24-25, 2025, a key event for Euro-Atlantic security took place in The Hague – the NATO Summit of leaders. The meeting took place against the backdrop of a new political configuration within the Alliance, increased pressure from the United States, and intensified hostilities by the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine. The results of the summit were both ambitious and controversial.
5% for defense: a new NATO standard
The main decision of the summit was the approval of a new target for defense spending: 5% of GDP by 2035, of which at least 3.5% should be spent directly on the armed forces and up to 1.5% on other security needs. This is the most ambitious commitment in the history of the Alliance. The decision was made under the significant influence of the United States and President Donald Trump, who insisted on the “real contribution” of the allies to their own security.
The first review of progress toward this goal is expected to take place in 2029. For many countries, including Spain and Canada, meeting the new standards may prove difficult and politically risky. At the same time, critics call this decision a step toward militarization, which is not accompanied by sufficient strategic thinking.
Reaffirming Article Five of the Washington Treaty
The Alliance has clearly reaffirmed its commitment to Article 5, which guarantees mutual defense in the event of an attack on one of its members. This has become particularly relevant in light of the recognition of Russia as a long-term and systemic threat to security in Europe.
NATO leaders also decided to strengthen rapid response readiness, expand logistics on the eastern flank, and intensify participation in joint exercises.
Ukraine: important but not in the communique
the “Ukrainian issue” remained at the center of backroom discussions, but was not included in the key documents of the summit. Officially, Ukraine was named a “strategic partner,” but the Alliance did not offer a clear plan for membership or an accelerated integration format.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a separate meeting with Donald Trump to discuss the supply of air defense systems, including the possible sale of Patriot. The United States also announced the transfer of a new package of countermeasures. However, none of the decisions were enshrined in a final communiqué.
Ukrainian officials expressed restrained disappointment: according to them, the attention to Ukraine at the summit was less than expected. The focus shifted to NATO budgets rather than enlargement.
Other topics: AUKUS, the Middle East, China
In addition to Ukraine, threats in the Indo-Pacific region, the future of cooperation with AUKUS (Australia, UK, USA), stability in the Middle East, and coordination with Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand were discussed.
NATO is also considering options for greater involvement in the global defense industry and reforming supply chains to ensure continuity of arms.
The Hague Summit showed the Alliance’s ambition to strengthen collective defense, but also exposed a number of internal divisions. The United States remains the dominant player, promoting its own goals, while individual members are restrained in responding to demands for a sharp increase in defense budgets. The Ukrainian issue has served as a litmus test: there is political support, but no strategic solution.
Read also: Zelensky met with E5 leaders and NATO Secretary General: what was discussed in The Hague
Why this summit is of particular importance right now
Komersant spoke with political scientist Yevhen Magda about the consequences of the summit for Ukraine and why it has become so important for official Kyiv.
The expert noted that the events of the summit lay the foundation for the Alliance’s policy for the next year.
Obviously, the most important event of this week was the NATO summit. It determines the events for the next year and takes place once a year,” Magda said.
Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko also called the NATO summit the key event of the week. In his opinion, despite the difficult geopolitical circumstances and Donald Trump’s restrained position, the meeting demonstrated the Alliance’s strategic support for Ukraine.
“The summit actually confirmed the preservation and further political and military partnership between NATO and Ukraine,” Fesenko explained.
The political scientist emphasized an important signal of the summit – the recognition of Ukraine’s security importance for NATO.
In particular, the provision of the final document that there should be continued support for Ukraine is very important, and this is NATO’s security interest. This is a confirmation of our partnership,” the expert commented on the most high-profile political event of the past week.
Fesenko also drew attention to an important financial signal for the allies.
Military assistance to Ukraine from NATO countries will be counted as part of their defense spending. And this is an incentive for individual NATO countries to provide military assistance to Ukraine, especially for those who will find it difficult to increase their defense spending in any other way,” the expert said.
Fesenko believes that “amid uncertainty about Ukraine’s future membership in NATO, the Alliance de facto recognizes Kyiv as part of its defense system.
“Yes, we are not a member of NATO, and under Trump, unfortunately, this issue is postponed indefinitely, but de facto NATO recognizes us as part of its defense system,” he concluded.
Experts emphasize that the NATO summit confirmed the Alliance’s unwavering position on supporting Ukraine in times of war. Although the issue of full membership remains open, Ukraine is already effectively integrated into the Alliance’s collective security system, which adds political weight to the international arena.
Author — Yaroslava Lubyana
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