The best precedence of the behind-the-scenes diplomatic preparations for this week’s NATO Summit in The Hague was to forestall a significant catastrophe. Within the midst of wars in Europe and the Center East, the truth that the principal goal was for nothing to go abysmally mistaken could have seemed like a rock-bottom stage of ambition. However with U.S. President Donald Trump within the White Home, a “no surprises” summit was thought of important for the alliance’s cohesion.
The technique revolved round concentrating on NATO’s means: a brand new protection spending goal of 5 % of GDP. In satisfying a requirement that Trump has made central to his second-term method to the alliance, the summit was a spectacular diplomatic success.
Nonetheless, the worth paid was neglect of the main points of NATO’s finish objectives—particularly, the threats the alliance is supposed to discourage. Sure, the ultimate communique did point out the long-term menace posed by Russia to the trans-Atlantic alliance, which was greater than many observers, myself included, had anticipated. However scratching the floor of the “no surprises” summit, one more nail could have been unknowingly positioned in NATO’s coffin this week in The Hague.
