NATO foreign ministers are meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, on 21–22 May to finalise preparations for the alliance’s Ankara Summit.
Secretary General Mark Rutte said the talks will focus on delivering commitments agreed at last year’s NATO summit in The Hague, including a pledge by allies to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, NATO reported on Wednesday.
“The question is no longer whether we need to do more. The question is how quickly Allies can turn commitments into capabilities,” Rutte stated.
He called for sustained increases in investment and “a credible path” to delivery, adding that allies need to increase defence industrial production on both sides of the Atlantic and strengthen “warfighting capabilities” — the forces, equipment and readiness needed for combat operations.
Changes to NATO leadership roles
Rutte also pointed to shifts in responsibilities within the alliance, saying Europe and Canada are investing more and taking more responsibility for conventional defence, NATO said.
That change is reflected in NATO’s command structure, with Europe set to lead all three of NATO’s Joint Force Commands, while the United States will lead the alliance’s three component commands.
Support for Ukraine will also be on the agenda, with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha joining the meeting in Helsingborg on Thursday to discuss how to keep support “substantial, sustainable and predictable” over the long term.
Rutte said “delivery” would be the central theme of the meeting, including deterrence and defence, support for Ukraine, and “the security of one billion people across the Alliance.”
