President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel expressed the opinion that during the NATO summit in The Hague, which will take place from June 24 to 26, participating countries will likely agree to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. At the same time, he does not expect that the final declaration will contain “strong statements regarding Ukraine.”
This is reported by Kyiv24
Summit priorities and the role of the USA in European security
Speaking at the GLOBSEC conference in Prague, Petr Pavel noted that the limited expectations from the summit are related to the policy of the new US administration. According to him, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is intentionally narrowing the agenda of the meeting to avoid disagreements within the alliance. The President of the Czech Republic emphasized the importance of maintaining unity among NATO states and adhering to Article Five of the North Atlantic Treaty. He stressed that previous decisions regarding Ukraine remain in effect, but significant changes or new statements are not expected in this year’s final declaration.
“Expectations for the next NATO summit are quite limited, mostly due to the approach of the new American administration. I understand that the Secretary General (NATO Mark Rutte) is deliberately trying to reduce the summit agenda to the necessary minimum to prevent any disagreements and divisions. Because we really need to demonstrate that we are united in our core principles. And that means our commitment to NATO: Article Five is still in effect, we will not change our approaches regarding Ukraine, although there will likely not be strong statements regarding Ukraine in the final declaration. But all previous conclusions from past summits will remain valid,” said Pavel.
European responsibility and sanctions against Russia
In his speech, Pavel emphasized that the role of the USA in European security is undergoing transformation. He called on European Union countries to take greater responsibility in defense matters, as well as to develop their own defense capabilities and strengthen the defense industry. At the same time, the President of the Czech Republic stressed that dialogue and partnership with the USA remain key to the security of the continent.
Petr Pavel pointed out that without US support, Europe will not be able to compel Russia to engage in genuine negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. In his opinion, the most effective method of pressure on the Kremlin is to strengthen sanctions – it is the strict economic and financial restrictions that can force the Russian leadership to come to the negotiating table.
The President of the Czech Republic also noted that the current economic and financial situation in Russia is deteriorating, and to achieve significant changes, it is necessary to fully utilize the potential of sanctions.
It is worth noting that representatives of the Donald Trump administration repeatedly expressed their unwillingness to see Ukraine as a NATO member and also considered the possibility of reducing the American military presence in Europe. During the election campaign, Trump threatened to withdraw the USA from the alliance and criticized European partners for insufficient defense spending.