Nato walks on eggshells as Trump heads to Hague summit with allies bracing for fireworks

As Nato leaders gather in The Hague, one big question looms: Will US President Donald Trump cooperate — or will he once again cause disruption, as he has done on several occasions?

Nato leaders are hoping that a carefully choreographed summit, short in duration and filled with praise for Trump, will keep discussions on track when they begin on Wednesday.

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte sent a glowing message to Donald Trump on Tuesday, saying: “You are flying into another big success .” The message was one of several that Trump eagerly shared online while crossing the Atlantic aboard Air Force One.

In the message, Rutte even compared Nato’s new defence spending plan to the recent US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. “Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, that was truly extraordinary, and something no one else dared to do,” he wrote.

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The flattering tone highlighted just how eager Rutte and other Western leaders are to ensure the NATO summit runs smoothly. With Trump’s commitment to the alliance often uncertain, they are doing everything they can to keep him focused and cooperative.

Efforts to avoid a Trump outburst

Every precaution has been taken to avoid a Trump outburst, including giving him credit for securing a major new defence spending agreement. However, even before landing in Europe, Trump raised tensions by refusing to clearly reaffirm his commitment to Nato’s Article 5, the principle that an attack on one member is an attack on all.

“Depends on your definition,” he said, unsettling allies shortly before a dinner with them on Tuesday evening.

NATO countries are expected to approve a plan to spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence, plus an additional 1.5 per cent on broader security-related areas like cybersecurity. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the move as “historic.”

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Trump targets Spain, flirts with Russia

The increased defence spending is intended to keep Trump engaged with the alliance. He has long complained that European countries spend too little on their own defence, especially following Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Spain was the final country to back the new target, calling the 5 per cent goal “unreasonable”, a stance that angered Trump.

He accused Spain of risking the success of the summit and pointed out that the US spends nearly $1 trillion on defence. Spain is only now reaching NATO’s existing 2 per cent target after a €10 billion funding increase.

“We’ll be discussing it soon,” Trump warned.

Concerns over unity on Russia and Ukraine

Rutte emphasised that the increased defence spending is vital to deter Russia, but Trump’s unpredictable stance on Ukraine continues to cause concern. He has softened his position on Russia and previously clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky left out of main summit session

Ahead of the summit, Zelensky told Dutch MPs, “Russia must see that Ukraine won’t be left alone.”

Trump and Zelensky are expected to meet privately, with officials hoping to avoid a repeat of their previous tense Oval Office meeting. Zelensky has not been invited to the main summit session, which has been shortened to just two and a half hours, reportedly to suit Trump’s dislike of lengthy meetings.

Support for Ukraine, but no talk of membership

Rutte said NATO’s support for Ukraine remains firm, but the alliance will avoid any mention of Ukraine’s push for membership, after Trump ruled it out.

With inputs from AFP