https://www.reuters.com/business/ae...to-rutte-says-before-hague-summit-2025-06-24/ from Reuters
apnews.com
My Cliff Notes version of both articles
Both are within the last hour and include Trump's point of view and the member's response. The member countries of NATO are attempting to hit Trump's new target of 5% up from 2% and are ready to congratulate Trump on the peace deal regardless of it's ultimate success.
Other signs that point to appeasing Trump include less emphasis on Ukraine assistance however Zelensky will be there, and it's expected that the two will meet.
Russia is not happy with this summit or with Iran's recent defeat and subsequent cease fire (which may or may not hold, but it's giving Israel some breathing room).
The EU is worried that the US will turn it's attention to the Pacific to counter China leaving the EU partners of NATO scrambling to improve their defence against Russia.
My take:
The other major problem is the Tariffs. That is another cost that Trump has suddenly asked his allies to absorb. While still requiring a lot out of national budgets to increase spending on NATO. Regardless of whether it's "fair" or not, it's a lot of spending that is required in national budgets still coping with massive COVID debts.
Change is never easy, and sudden changes sometimes have sudden reactions. Increased instability in the economic and political spheres at a time when risks of war are increasing.
Here are some quotes:
Reuters:
"Trump is expected to meet Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for talks during the summit. Zelenskiy has said he wants to discuss substantial purchases of weaponry including Patriot missile defence systems as well as sanctions and other ways to put pressure on Putin."
And Russia weighs in with some criticism and if you click on the Reuters article it has a VERY good chart showing who is spending what, and where the goals are:
Russia has cited its neighbour's desire to join the U.S.-led transatlantic defence pact as one of the reasons why it invaded Ukraine in 2022."
AP:
"...there are still a lot of worries in Europe that maybe the United States will pull out of NATO, maybe the United States won’t honor Article 5,” said Matthew Kroenig, vice president and senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security and a former Pentagon official. “I think there is a real fear among Europeans that we need to deliver for Trump in order to keep the United States engaged in NATO.”
Kroenig added: “Like it or not, I do think Trump’s tougher style does get more results.”
European allies have taken note of potential signs of a broader U.S. retreat. France and other NATO countries have been concerned that the Trump administration is considering reducing troop levels in Europe and shifting them over to the Indo-Pacific, which Cabinet officials have signaled is a higher priority.
Still, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker have underscored the U.S.’ commitment and have said the Trump administration is only seeking a stronger alliance."
Trump says whether he'll commit to NATO mutual defense guarantee 'depends on your definition'
President Donald Trump has arrived in the Netherlands for NATO's annual meeting after injecting some uncertainty over whether the U.S. would abide by the mutual defense guarantees outlined in its treaty.
apnews.com
My Cliff Notes version of both articles
Both are within the last hour and include Trump's point of view and the member's response. The member countries of NATO are attempting to hit Trump's new target of 5% up from 2% and are ready to congratulate Trump on the peace deal regardless of it's ultimate success.
Other signs that point to appeasing Trump include less emphasis on Ukraine assistance however Zelensky will be there, and it's expected that the two will meet.
Russia is not happy with this summit or with Iran's recent defeat and subsequent cease fire (which may or may not hold, but it's giving Israel some breathing room).
The EU is worried that the US will turn it's attention to the Pacific to counter China leaving the EU partners of NATO scrambling to improve their defence against Russia.
My take:
The other major problem is the Tariffs. That is another cost that Trump has suddenly asked his allies to absorb. While still requiring a lot out of national budgets to increase spending on NATO. Regardless of whether it's "fair" or not, it's a lot of spending that is required in national budgets still coping with massive COVID debts.
Change is never easy, and sudden changes sometimes have sudden reactions. Increased instability in the economic and political spheres at a time when risks of war are increasing.
Here are some quotes:
Reuters:
"Trump is expected to meet Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for talks during the summit. Zelenskiy has said he wants to discuss substantial purchases of weaponry including Patriot missile defence systems as well as sanctions and other ways to put pressure on Putin."
And Russia weighs in with some criticism and if you click on the Reuters article it has a VERY good chart showing who is spending what, and where the goals are:
"RUSSIA CRITICISES NATO'S SPENDING BOOST
The Kremlin accused NATO of being on a path of rampant militarisation and portraying Russia as a "fiend of hell" in order to justify its big increase in defence spending.Russia has cited its neighbour's desire to join the U.S.-led transatlantic defence pact as one of the reasons why it invaded Ukraine in 2022."
AP:
"...there are still a lot of worries in Europe that maybe the United States will pull out of NATO, maybe the United States won’t honor Article 5,” said Matthew Kroenig, vice president and senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security and a former Pentagon official. “I think there is a real fear among Europeans that we need to deliver for Trump in order to keep the United States engaged in NATO.”
Kroenig added: “Like it or not, I do think Trump’s tougher style does get more results.”
European allies have taken note of potential signs of a broader U.S. retreat. France and other NATO countries have been concerned that the Trump administration is considering reducing troop levels in Europe and shifting them over to the Indo-Pacific, which Cabinet officials have signaled is a higher priority.
Still, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker have underscored the U.S.’ commitment and have said the Trump administration is only seeking a stronger alliance."
