Look ahead to 2018 NATO Summit

NATO holds its next summit in Brussels on 11-12 July 2018.

The recent G7 summit brought to the fore tensions between the US and Europe. Talk of strengthening the ‘transatlantic bond’ may yet be undermined by rows over defence spending and uncertainty over America’s commitment to the principle of collective defence (Article 5).

Driven by concerns about Russia, the Summit will announce two new Commands to improve maritime security in the Atlantic and improve troop readiness and mobility. It will also look south and discuss ways to reduce instability in North Africa and the Middle East. Members of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission will discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Separately, the UK Ministry of Defence has promised to unveil the headline outcomes of its Modernising Defence Programme by the time of the NATO Summit.

A debate on NATO will be held in the Commons on Wednesday 20 June.