NATO summit closes, confirms collective defence pledge and Ukraine support

2026-07-08

Collective defence reaffirmed

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit closed on the 8th after a two-day meeting. In the summit declaration it adopted, NATO reaffirmed the collective defence obligation of all member states under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticised NATO, also agreed.

Article 5 is the alliance's foundation

Under Article 5, NATO says an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members. The summit declaration on the 8th stated that it 'reaffirmed an ironclad commitment to collective defence and the transatlantic bond'.

Ukraine support to continue

The declaration also included continued support for Ukraine, which is facing Russian aggression. It agreed to provide Ukraine with support worth 70 billion euros a year, or about 13 trillion yen, in 2026 and 2027. The package includes funding from the European Union and will provide missing weapons and military training.

It also said European member states and Canada will take on greater responsibility for European defence. To support the defence industries of the United States and Europe, it also emphasised a policy of lowering trade barriers among member states and deepening cooperation with industry.

No mention of China

For a second straight year, it made no mention of China, which NATO has viewed with caution as a 'systemic challenge'. It also did not refer to cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners such as Japan, which it had explicitly mentioned in 2024. NATO is seen as having prioritised reaffirming collective defence obligations and member unity. It did not indicate the venue for the 2027 summit.

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