NATO member states are currently gathered in Washington D.C. for a major summit marking the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. However, the atmosphere is tense due to ongoing geopolitical conflicts. Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has announced that the summit’s primary goal is for member states to commit to increased military aid for Ukraine. Despite this focus, the summit is overshadowed by questions about the alliance’s strongest partners and NATO’s future.
In the United States, doubts are growing about whether Joe Biden is the right Democratic candidate to challenge Republican Donald Trump, who is known for his scepticism towards NATO. Additionally, political turbulence in France and the United Kingdom, along with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s controversial visits to Russia and China, add to the uncertainty.
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden remains optimistic, emphasising that the objective in Washington D.C. is to strengthen and expand NATO. Frieden pointed to Sweden and Finland as examples, noting that “no one would have thought they would join NATO.” According to the Luxembourg PM, they did so because they recognised a new threat emerging after World War II and the Cold War, which has given NATO renewed momentum.
Frieden further showed himself convinced that the United States will need strong allies in Europe after the upcoming presidential elections, and vice versa.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has underscored the importance of continuing to provide Ukraine with guarantees for its defence against Russia, aiming to eventually bring the war to an end. This commitment also entails increased military spending for Luxembourg. Frieden acknowledged that this is “a very difficult step” and that he would “prefer to spend the money on other things.” However, he noted that other countries are already making substantial investments in defence and are advising Luxembourg to do the same, as “spend a lot of money on our security.”
Frieden highlighted that many nations allocate 3-4% of their gross national income to defence. He expressed gratitude for the contributions of the United States and other allies, pledging that Luxembourg will “continue to make our contribution to ensure that Luxembourg can maintain its democracy, peace, and freedom; that has a price, and we must pay it.”
Luxembourg’s defence plan includes gradually increasing spending, with €1.4 billion earmarked for defence by 2030. The funds will be invested in satellites, air defence, drones, and cybersecurity. The government aims to involve Luxembourgish companies, such as SES, to ensure some economic return from the defence spending.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the summit focuses on ensuring that NATO remains robust as it marks its 75th anniversary.
