National Priorities for the NATO Warsaw Summit

Just two weeks after the U.K. shocked its partners with a vote to leave the EU, members of the other key Western alliance will meet in Warsaw, on July 8-9. The shadow of Brexit now adds to the already challenging agenda. How will the UK define its new role, and what will Brexit mean for London’s defense posture and budget? What is in store for the European Union and EU-NATO cooperation? In this collection, experts from GMF offices in seven of NATO’s capitals  — Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Warsaw, Bucharest, Ankara, and Washington, DC — report on their governments’ agendas. While all members agree that unity and solidarity are even more critical for the alliance after the Brexit vote, the Summit’s agenda is broad and the Allies’ priorities diverse. The Summit looks set to meet the central challenge of keeping the East and South of NATO on board, with a balance that increases capabilities in both arenas. As the first meeting of the transatlantic community after Brexit, the summit is a key opportunity to reaffirm Western unity, confirm Britain’s partnership and engagement, and to step up NATO-EU cooperation.