The foreign ministers of NATO countries will meet for the first time in Sweden, in Helsingborg, on the evening of Thursday 21 May and on Friday 22, in order to prepare the organisation’s Summit, which will take place on 7 and 8 July in Ankara.
Burden sharing. As usual, and under US pressure, the Allies are expected to discuss the burden sharing of rearmament. “Ankara will be about delivering on our commitments. The question is no longer whether we need to do more. The question is how quickly Allies can turn commitments into capabilities”, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte explained to the media on Wednesday 20 May. In Sweden, the ministers will examine how the Allies are implementing the defence investment plan agreed in The Hague.
“They will discuss how we are delivering on the defence investment plan agreed in The Hague; strengthening our warfighting capabilities; and ramping up defence industrial production on both sides of the Atlantic”, the Secretary General warned, adding that faster and larger-scale production was needed on both sides of the Atlantic. According to Mr Rutte, there is a “pressing need” for greater industrial cooperation in defence. He thus expressed the hope that the Ankara Summit would make progress on this issue.
Important contract announcements are expected at the Summit, which will be preceded, during the day on 7 July, by a Defence Industry Forum to facilitate high-level exchanges between governments and actors in the defence sector.
The ministers are also expected to discuss the redeployment of US troops, as the United States has announced the departure of 5,000 personnel from Europe. “When it comes to this announcement, the 4,000 to 5,000, it is rotational forces not having an impact on NATO's defence plans” the Secretary General promised. Washington is also expected to announce, in the next few days, the military capabilities that the United States could mobilise to assist the Alliance’s European nations in the event of a major crisis. According to Reuters, citing several sources, the Pentagon has reportedly decided to reduce its commitment considerably. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on Europeans to take over from his country in ensuring the continent’s security, at least conventional security.
“Europe will assume a greater role, together with Canada. A stronger Europe within a stronger NATO will assume greater responsibility for conventional defence”, the Secretary General said, while promising that the United States would remain involved in Europe.
Ukraine. The informal meeting in Helsingborg will also be an opportunity to address the Allies’ “continued” support for Ukraine, “which will be another priority of the Ankara Summit”, Mr Rutte promised.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha will join his counterparts from Allied countries on Thursday evening. “Ministers will discuss how to ensure support for Ukraine remains substantial, sustainable, and predictable – and based on Ukraine’s requirements”, Mr Rutte explained.
He announced that, since its launch last summer, the PURL initiative had provided around 70% of the missiles intended for the Ukrainian Patriot batteries, notably PAC-3 missiles, and 90% of the ammunition used across all air defence systems. “This support continues to flow. But we must build on this further, and ensure that Allied support remains sustainable for the long term”, Mr Rutte warned. Asked about his proposal that the Allies’ support for Ukraine should represent 0.25% of their GDP, he acknowledged that it was not unanimous. “I do not think that this proposal will be accepted, because there is a great deal of opposition to this fixed 0.25 rate”, he acknowledged, while calling for better sharing of the support effort.
Middle East. Lastly, the situation in the Middle East, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, is expected to be addressed. Several Allies have already sent ships to the area, but there does not appear to be any agreement among the Allies on a contribution from the Alliance as such. Discussions are also under way with non-Allied countries. “The Allies are responding increasingly to the call to action regarding the prepositioning of essential resources close to the theatre of operations. Of course, within this Alliance, debates and discussions are ongoing regarding a possible NATO contribution in response to the situation. These are, in my view, informal discussions. But the situation continues to develop”, the Secretary General explained, specifying that the Alliance continued to monitor developments. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)