The likely summit agenda includes deliverables that will further enhance NATO’s deterrence posture and add new elements to its support for the campaign against Islamic State (IS). However, concerns are widespread that US President Donald Trump will use the summit to castigate his country’s European allies for not sharing fairly the burden of defence spending, especially as transatlantic ties are already strained by the recent US imposition of trade tariffs, which also disrupted the G7 meeting earlier this month.
Following the agreement on the name North Macedonia, that country will formally be put on the path towards NATO membership.
NATO’s new command structure is likely to be agreed at the summit, heralding an expansion in personnel.
Summit outcomes may include additional deterrence measures for the Black Sea region.
NATO will announce that allied defence spending grew by over 4% since January 2017; defence companies could benefit.
NATO-EU ties will be described as reaching new highs owing to greater military cooperation and efforts to meet 'hybrid' threats.
