NATO leaders set to convene at the Hague, Netherlands
Iran-Israel conflict tops the agenda
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Just days after the U.S. launched targeted military strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, President Donald Trump travels Tuesday to the Netherlands to participate in the NATO Summit.
The two-day NATO Summit kicks off Tuesday and the defense alliance has already signed off on significantly increasing defense spending.
Just before the start of the NATO Summit, the 32 countries that comprise NATO agreed to spend 3.5% on defense over the next decade and an additional 1.5% on domestic infrastructure and cybersecurity.
Urban Ahlin is Sweden’s Ambassador to the United States. Sweden last year became NATO’s newest member.
“I think this summit in The Hague will also show that we are united, not only that very much that we also stand that European countries are, you know, spending more on defense because we see the threats and we want to militarily deter the enemy.”
That enemy is Russia, which launched a full-scale war against Ukraine more than three years ago.
Jon Decker, White House Correspondent:
“Do you believe that Russia has territorial ambitions beyond Ukraine?”
Swedish Ambassador Urban Ahlin:
“I’m absolutely convinced that Russia has territorial issues beyond Ukraine.”
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine agrees with that assessment. But it’s unclear whether President Donald Trump - unlike former President Joe Biden - views Russia as a threat to all of Europe.
It’s a point of consideration that America’s allies are aware of, including Sweden’s ambassador to the United States, Urban Ahlin.
“Trump has another political agenda that says, you know, America First. Biden had this more of an outreach from the very beginning with Europe, so that that’s the difference.”
Ukraine is another point of difference. President Trump does not want Ukraine to be the focus of this Summit and although Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is invited, he does not have a seat at NATO’s table.
President Trump arrives Tuesday in the Netherlands just days after launching targeted military strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. While some NATO countries expressed support for the U.S. action, arguing that Iran had presented a nuclear threat, they also urged diplomacy and de-escalation.
Late Monday, President Trump posted on social media that a ceasefire is in the works, although neither Israel nor Iran confirmed this development.
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