Context: The 76th NATO Summit took place in The Hague, Netherlands, against the backdrop of a worsening security landscape. Russia’s continued war against Ukraine and its hybrid activities against NATO members persist, making it the primary outside threat to the alliance, “in particular (in) the long-term”[1], as the final summit declaration puts it. Next to Russia’s actions,the last months saw further violent escalations in other parts of the world. In this context, the war between Israel and Iran stood out due to the US intervening on the side of Israel by bombarding Iranian nuclear facilities in the night of 22 June. At the summit in The Hague, two days later, it was less of a topic because a ceasefire had already been announced by then. Most of the talks revolved around the alliance’s unity, US commitment to the Article 5 mutual defence clause[2], and the increase in allies’ defence spending, particularly for NATO’s European members. Other focal points were cybersecurity, terrorism, Ukraine, and strategic competition, which hints at China. Shortly before the leaders' meeting in The Hague, Canada and the EU signed a new security and defence pact, committing to closer cooperation in response to continued US threats against its allies.
[1] NATO - Official text: The Hague Summit Declaration issued by NATO Heads of State and Government (2025), 25-Jun.-2025
[2] NATO - Topic: Collective defence and Article 5
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