By Agha Iqrar Haroon
NATO concluded the Annual Summit 2025 in The Hague, while the next one is planned in Türkiye. This Summit was different than many previous Summits as the NATO member countries were behaving “the King is here” while meeting US President Trump, who had not been taken “seriously” by European elites during his first tenure.
It was his first appearance in the NATO Annual Summit after being reelected as US President. There were many reasons for this praising session for Trump, and one of them is that he fulfilled the desires of the G7 countries to bomb Iran. Reports suggested that after the G7 Summit in Canada that countries persuaded Trump to get involved in the Iran-Israel War, and he did it. He bombed Iran, he satisfied all friends, and he showed US is the only superpower that can do whatever it wishes to do.
Power has several dynamics and kinds, and one can share a list of kinds of power, such as soft-power, hard-power, economic-power, weaponry-power etc but the simple explanation of power is that powerful can break the teeth of its adversary without being feared to face the same situation and without any consequences of being questioned. These pleasures have only been enjoyed by the United States till now.
“Interestingly, India was not invited as an Observer in this meeting, and NATO’s statement indicated that cooperation with its partners in the Indo-Pacific region – Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and New Zealand would bring a safer Indo-Pacific”
Another reason for European Praise for President Trump was Iran-Israel and Pakistan-India ceasefires announced, managed, and conducted by President Trump. He has emerged strongest man who can manage situations with a stick and a carrot, but without being too late to do so. US history indicates that using stick and carrot has been an ingredient part of US policy, but always with a delay and after enjoying destruction on the ground. I am sure that President Trump could manage ceasefire even in Gaza just after taking the charge of Oval Office but he was asked not to stop destruction in Gaza by his European allies and strong lobbies within United States because “razed to ground” was needed in Gaza by many having the desires of purging Palestinian till they cease to exists.
This year European leaders did not talk about “separate security arrangements” rather they were ready to increase their share in NATO expense and looking at Trump with admiration and praise, sending loving messages that Europe does not need its security arrangements because the King is here to safeguard them and they reached a decision to invest 5% of GDP in defence – laying the foundation for a strong, united NATO in the years to come.
“NATO Security Investment Programme indicates that the top five spenders are Canada (6.68%), the United Kingdom (10.96%), France (10.19%), the United States (15.88%), and Germany (15.88%), while the rest members are paying less than 5%”
Unfortunately, Ukraine was sidelined, although it got a promise that NATO would not let it down in front of Russia, without taking Ukraine into the fold of NATO. Kyiv had been sacrificing its blood for decades to become part of the European Union and NATO, but this beautiful European nation is being treated as “children of lesser god”, due to reasons best known to European historians and security advisors.
NATO also hosted a Summit Defence Industry Forum on the June 24 that brought together political and military leaders, as well as industry, to advance efforts to boost defence industrial production across the Alliance but without any single word about Ukraine although Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha was invited for a working dinner of the NATO-Ukraine Council. At the formal session of NATO Heads of State and Government adopted a summit declaration underlining the importance of ramping up defence industrial production and affirming continued support for Ukraine. Allies decided to invest 5% of GDP in defence, including 3.5% of GDP on core defence requirements and 1.5% on defence- and security-related investments like infrastructure and industry. This marks a major uplift from the previous benchmark of 2% of GDP.
There were also several additional meetings held at the NATO Summit including a meeting of the NATO Secretary General, the President of Ukraine, and the Presidents of the European Council and European Commission; a meeting of the NATO Secretary General, the President of Ukraine, the President of France, the German Chancellor, and the Prime Ministers of Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom; and a meeting between the NATO Secretary General and NATO’s Indo-Pacific partners. Interestingly, India was not invited as an Observer in this meeting, and NATO’s statement indicated that cooperation with its partners in the Indo-Pacific region – Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and New Zealand would bring a safer Indo-Pacific.
During a press briefing at the NATO summit, President Trump was asked by a reporter why he had failed to stop the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. President Trump responded by saying he had stopped wars between Iran and Israel as well as India and Pakistan, saying the conflict “was getting very bad” between the nuclear-armed rivals.
“And in fact, I had the General (COAS Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir), who was very impressive, the general from Pakistan was in my office last week,” Trump said. His appreciation to Field Marshal Asim Munir sent loud and clear message globally that he preferred to be friend with whom are responsible people having the power to listen, understand the situation and act instead of wasting time with those who are unable to understand the gravity of the situation as Ukrainian leadership had been in past while dealing with President Trump. European media is reporting that “Ukraine was sidelined” in the NATO Summit as it had been during the G7 Summit recently (June 15-17) in Canada. Is it not a message to read between the lines for Ukraine and plan its future strategy accordingly?
President Trump, since his first tenure in Office, has been telling European partners to increase their share in Defence and also in direct funding to NATO expenditures. Year 2025 cost share arrangements for civil budget, military budget and NATO Security Investment Programme indicates that top five spenders are Canada (6.68%), United Kingdom (10.96%), France (10.19%), the United States (15.88%) and Germany (15.88%) while rest members are paying less than 5%.
It may be mentioned that NATO’s common funds are around EUR 4.6 billion for 2025, enabling NATO to deliver capabilities and run the entirety of the Organization and its military commands.
The views and opinions expressed in this article/Opinion/Comment are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the DND Thought Center and Dispatch News Desk (DND). Assumptions made within the analysis do not reflect the position of the DND Thought Center and Dispatch News Desk.
