NATO summit in Tirana at risk/ Euronews: Albania fell behind on defense objective!

As NATO enters the final stages of preparations for its July 7-8 summit in Ankara, the atmosphere between European leaders and Donald Trump remains tense. The war against Iran has exposed the friction between Washington and European capitals, as most member states refused to join the US military operation. Trump has made no secret of his anger. “We don’t need their money. I just want their loyalty,” he declared at the White House this week, accusing allies of abandoning the US.

Precisely to ease these tensions, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte traveled to Washington where he held a meeting with Trump. In a cautious attempt to avoid a new transatlantic crisis, Rutte emphasized that “in general, European allies have been on the side of the US ,” while presenting the US president with figures for the record increase in military spending in Europe.

But as the Ankara summit approaches, a Euronews report raises serious questions about what was considered one of the most important events of recent decades for Albania: the hosting of the NATO summit in Tirana in 2027.

According to Euronews, "the final declaration expected to be adopted at the end of the July summit does not yet contain a commitment to holding another summit in 2027."

European media cite sources according to whom NATO officials, including Mark Rutte himself, are reconsidering the future of the alliance's annual summits, in an attempt to avoid public clashes with the increasingly aggressive Trump administration.

In this context, Albania could be one of the first victims of the new political climate within NATO. Euronews reports that our country, which is scheduled to host the 2027 summit, risks losing the organization if it does not demonstrate clear progress in achieving the alliance's defense spending target.

"Albania is scheduled to host the NATO summit in 2027, but sources say this organization could be moved if the country does not show progress in exceeding the 2 percent of GDP threshold for defense spending," Euronews writes.

The signal is significant. For the first time, hosting a NATO summit is seen as a political and financial test for the host country. With Trump pushing allies to pay more for defense and openly threatening countries that he says are not shouldering their burden, NATO leaders appear reluctant to offer the US president another reason for public conflict during a high-level summit.

Although Euronews mentions Albania, it is not the only one lagging behind the alliance's objectives. It also cites Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic as countries considered to be lagging behind in increasing their military budgets, while Belgium has only recently reached the minimum threshold of 2 percent of GDP.

For Tirana, hosting the NATO summit would be the most important diplomatic event ever held in the country. About a year ago, Prime Minister Rama called the decision to bring NATO leaders to Albania historic.  “We must properly fulfill all the expectations that are on Albania’s part, and exceed them by taking advantage of this moment that Albania can shine globally,” Rama said.

But Euronews' reporting shows that nothing is considered guaranteed anymore. And if the defense objectives remain unmet, the summit that was supposed to bring alliance leaders to Albania could end up in another capital as the next slap in the face for Rama from the west./Lapsi.al