As U.S. President Donald Trump continues to question America’s commitment to the alliance’s founding ideals, NATO leaders in The Hague are struggling with a shaky sense of unity. Growing geopolitical tensions and a volatile Middle East are the backdrop for the summit, which has been shortened due to doubts about Trump’s dependability.
After Trump gave a vague response when asked about the United States’ position on NATO’s Article 5—the provision that obligates members to collective defense—while traveling to the Netherlands, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer acted swiftly to allay diplomatic concerns. Trump stated, “It depends on your definition,” noting that the clause has “numerous definitions.”
Despite those comments, Sir Keir arrived in a composed manner, calling for solidarity and reaffirming NATO’s importance in a world growing more unpredictable by the day. “Today is about NATO’s unity and demonstrating that strength in a very volatile world,” he told reporters. “We are stronger and larger than we were previously.”
Starmer went one step further and insisted that Trump is still “completely committed to the importance of NATO,” despite the fact that the American president’s statements seemed to be confusing allies. In a deliberate show of diplomatic closeness, he sat next to Trump during private talks and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him for the alliance’s customary group photo.
An ambitious new defense spending target is on the summit’s agenda; leaders are anticipated to approve a target of 3.5% of the country’s GDP by 2035. An extra 1.5% is suggested for “resilience” budgets, which are meant to improve infrastructure, energy independence, and cyber defense. However, agreement is still elusive. The targets are seen as aspirational rather than legally binding by a number of member states. Meeting the benchmark might require the UK to find an extra £30 billion for defence spending, which would raise concerns about domestic budgetary viability.
Although he has previously demanded that others meet the new targets, Trump, who has long criticized NATO members for underfunding their militaries, has indicated that he does not think the United States itself needs to meet them. The alliance’s concerns about American dependability under his leadership have only grown as a result of his erratic messaging.
In the meantime, tensions are spreading outside of Europe. The Middle East is once again unstable as a result of Trump’s recent approval of airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities in Isfahan. The president referred to the attack as “one of the most successful military strikes in history” and said it had “completely destroyed” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. That story is contradicted by leaked U.S. intelligence assessments, which indicate that the strikes might have only postponed Iran’s nuclear aspirations by a few months.
The White House has vehemently denied the leaks. They were denounced by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as an effort to undermine President Trump and the American pilots who participated in the mission. Trump claimed that Iran’s nuclear facilities were “completely destroyed” and denounced media reports as untrue on his Truth Social platform.
By characterizing the strikes as an attempt to “alleviate the threat” posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Starmer has adopted a more circumspect stance. Shortly after the truce went into effect, Israel accused Iran of breaking it, but he reaffirmed that the UK supports a ceasefire as a chance to resume diplomatic relations.
Starmer declined to directly respond when asked by Channel 5 News if he personally feels secure with Trump back in the White House. Rather, he pushed for talks and underlined the importance of preserving the tenuous ceasefire. “A ceasefire must now be maintained,” he stated. “That will be our engagement’s main focus because it creates the necessary space for the necessary negotiations.”
Another flight carrying British nationals out of Tel Aviv on Tuesday is part of the UK’s ongoing evacuation efforts in the area. If demand persists, more flights will be considered, according to the Foreign Office.
Starmer spoke about the worsening security situation in private meetings with German Chancellor Annalena Baerbock and French President Emmanuel Macron. The leaders agreed that “now was the time for diplomacy and for Iran to come to the negotiating table” after reflecting on the unstable Middle East situation, according to a Downing Street spokesperson.
The uneasiness was evident despite the photo opportunities and tactful handshakes. Because of Trump’s unpredictable nature, many leaders were apprehensive about attending a summit in The Hague. Organizers reportedly cut this year’s agenda short to lessen the likelihood of disruption because of the lingering memories of his early departure from the 2018 G7 in Canada.
Trump’s uncensored comments, such as his claim that Israel and Iran “don’t know what the f*** they’re doing,” highlight how unpredictable he still is on the global scene.
The summit is a high-stakes balancing act for Starmer, who is still figuring out his early days as prime minister: showcasing the UK’s leadership in NATO, promoting the unity of the alliance, and interacting with a U.S. president whose unpredictable diplomacy has the potential to strengthen or weaken the Western order.
