NATO summit in The Hague: key statements, Ukrainian context and Trump’s influence
25 June 12:33
Today, June 25, the second day of the two-day NATO summit has begun in The Hague, during which leaders of the Alliance member states are discussing strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities, supporting Ukraine, and deterring Russia. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to The Guardian
On the eve of the summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that the Alliance is at a crucial historical moment when global threats are growing.
According to him, NATO will take “bold decisions,” including a plan to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. The allies will also reaffirm their continued support for Ukraine and provide it with everything it needs for defense and deterrence.
Rutte said that today they will discuss increasing defense spending and building up the capabilities of the defense industry. Support for Ukraine will also be on the agenda.
“Ukraine will be a big topic today. We will discuss how to ensure that Ukraine continues to count on NATO support in the years to come to continue the fight, but also to make sure that we can bring Ukraine to a sustainable and lasting peace,” said Mark Rutte.
He noted that the summit in The Hague is “transformative” as the participating countries face new challenges, including Russia’s war against Ukraine, which is supported by the DPRK, Iran and China. China’s military buildup is also a challenge that will be taken into account.
At the same time, the allies must make sure that they can provide sufficient industrial capacity to produce the necessary amount of ammunition and all other types of military equipment they need to reliably protect their territory and population.
The shortest summit in NATO
On Wednesday, June 25, the summit began with brief remarks from former US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. This will be followed by a meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of heads of state and government, which will last 2.5 hours.
Also today, the President of Ukraine will have a separate meeting with the NATO Secretary General and the leaders of five key NATO countries – France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom.
The day will end with Rutte’s final press conference and his separate statements to the media together with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to the Western media, it was Donald Trump who caused this format. His unwillingness to participate in long multilateral meetings forced the allies to radically shorten the duration of the summit and the final declaration to one page.
What is known about the NATO Summit in The Hague
The 2025 NATO Summit is taking place in The Hague, the Netherlands, at the World Forum. This is the first time the Netherlands has hosted such an event and the first summit chaired by the new NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte.
The main topics of the summit are
Increasing defense spending. The United States insists on increasing defense spending by NATO member states to 5% of GDP. In response, Mark Rutte proposed a compromise: 3.5% for military needs and 1.5% for related areas such as cybersecurity and infrastructure.
Support for Ukraine. Long-term support for Ukraine, including financial and military assistance, as well as prospects for Ukraine’s membership in NATO are expected to be discussed.
The future of NATO. Strategies for a possible decrease in US participation in the Alliance, including increased contributions from European countries and Canada, are planned to be considered.
Participants and events
The summit will be attended by 45 heads of state and government, as well as foreign and defense ministers of NATO member states. In addition, the NATO Public Forum will be held with the participation of experts, politicians and civil society representatives.
Local security measures
About 8,500 participants are expected to arrive, including 2,000 journalists. A total of 27,000 police officers will be deployed to ensure security, the largest operation in the history of the Netherlands.
The Summit in The Hague will be a key moment for determining the future of NATO, in particular in terms of defense spending, support for Ukraine, and the Alliance’s adaptation to new security challenges.
NATO-Ukraine relations
Relations between Ukraine and NATO began shortly after Ukraine gained independence in 1991. In 1994, Ukraine joined the Partnership for Peace program, which was the first step towards cooperation with the Alliance. In 1997, the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership between Ukraine and NATO was signed, which defined the main areas of cooperation.
An important milestone was the 2008 NATO Bucharest Summit, at which it was stated that Ukraine and Georgia would become members of the Alliance in the future, although no specific timeline was set.
After the Revolution of Dignity in 2014 and the beginning of Russian aggression, cooperation between Ukraine and NATO intensified significantly. Ukraine was granted NATO’s Enhanced Opportunities Partner status in 2020.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 further strengthened cooperation. NATO countries provide Ukraine with significant military, financial, and humanitarian assistance. However, despite Ukraine’s aspirations for full membership in the Alliance and NATO’s continued support for Ukraine, the issue of accession remains a subject of debate and diplomatic negotiations.
At the Vilnius Summit in 2023, it was announced that Ukraine would become a member of the Alliance without MAP.
After the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States in 2025, the United States openly says that Ukraine will not be a member of NATO. The fact that this issue is not on the agenda was confirmed by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
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