Pentagon details NATO summit agenda

Shafaq News/ The US Department of Defense revealed, on Monday, the detailed agenda for the upcoming NATO summit set to commence on Tuesday.

The summit will emphasize member states' financial commitments to the security alliance, deepen partnerships, and bolster Ukraine's defensive capabilities.

Washington D.C. will host the NATO summit from Tuesday to Thursday, marking the 75th anniversary of the alliance's founding.

Deputy Pentagon Spokesperson Sabrina Singh, in an interview with Alhurra, highlighted that discussions will include the topic of Israel, which, alongside several Arab countries, has been invited to attend this historic summit.

"We are pleased to host this historic NATO summit this week, with numerous goals including deepening defense cooperation among allies," Singh stated.

She noted that the 32 member countries have gathered in Washington to reaffirm their commitment to the 2% GDP defense spending target and support Ukraine. Describing the summit as "historic," she added, "We are celebrating one of the most successful defense alliances in history."

Singh continued, "We have observed the impact of the war in Ukraine and the strain on its industrial base. The US and European nations have a long-term commitment to Kyiv, a sovereign state invaded by Russia."

Regarding the statement by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about facilitating Ukraine's path to NATO membership, Singh commented, "This is something we are working on with them. They are currently in the midst of a war with Russia, and the priority now is providing ammunition, enhancing air defense, and training soldiers and pilots."

She added, "Nearly every week, we take ammunition from our stockpiles and send it to Ukraine," pointing out that "the Ukrainians have truly proven themselves successful on the battlefield against Russian aggression."

Concerning the participation of Arab countries in the summit, including Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, and whether an "Arab NATO" will be announced, Singh deferred to the respective countries to declare their intentions.

The Pentagon spokesperson also mentioned that the US has established a coalition to protect international navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab.