The leaders of 30 NATO countries made two key decisions at the summit in Brussels: to begin the process of developing a new basic document - the Strategic Concept of the Alliance, to be approved in 2022 at the Madrid summit. And for the first time in history they identified China as a potential threat to the security of the alliance, TASS reports.
The summit participants also adopted several innovative solutions; particularly they decided to combat climate warming by increasing the energy efficiency of their armies and reducing their carbon emissions.
The statement following the summit does not contain any new theses regarding Russia. NATO, among other things, demanded that Russia exclude the United States and the Czech Republic from the list of unfriendly states adopted in Russia in 2021. The alliance will also build up its military capabilities to more effectively confront Russia.
China in the final statement of the summit recorded the intention to engage in containment of China. “China’s growing influence and foreign policy” ranks fourth on the alliance’s security threats.
At the same time, NATO intends to maintain a “constructive dialogue where possible” with China, in particular on the fight against global warming. The organization called on Beijing to be open about the development of nuclear capabilities and responsibilities in cyberspace, as well as to comply with its international obligations.
The list of threats to NATO’s security mentions various “state and non-state players who are” seeking to undermine democracy around the world”, giving rise to “instability on NATO’s borders and illegal migration.”
The Alliance has also announced the beginning of a process of adaptation to the new security reality, during which NATO intends to significantly expand its activities. In addition to defending and protecting democracy and interests around the world, he will continue to focus on space, new technology, pandemic, cybersecurity and warming, in particular by ensuring that his military’s greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.
In the final statement, the leaders of the alliance referred to the unity of NATO and “unbreakable ties between Europe and America.” The document, however, does not say anything about the possible timing of the admission of Ukraine and Georgia to NATO, or about the prospect of providing them with action plans for membership.
At the summit, the United States reaffirmed its commitments to protect Europe, while European leaders reaffirmed their commitments in 2014 to bring their countries’ defense spending to 2% of GDP by 2024.
NATO’s total military budget this year will be about $1.05 trillion. The United States accounts for more than 70% of this budget, so Washington demands from the European NATO countries and Canada a radical increase in defense spending, of which at least 20% should go to the acquisition of new military equipment, the main manufacturer of which in NATO is the US military-industrial complex.
