Overview
- Member governments are discussing a move to hold leader-level meetings every two years with the option to skip 2028, and Secretary-General Mark Rutte would decide.
- Diplomats say the debate stems from concerns about tense sessions with President Donald Trump as well as a wider push for calmer, more substantive work.
- A NATO official said leaders will still meet on a regular basis and allies will keep consulting and taking decisions between summits.
- Leaders have met each summer since 2021, with this year’s gathering set for July 7–8 in Ankara and the 2027 meeting in Albania likely to shift into the autumn.
- Several diplomats and analysts argue fewer high-profile summits reduce pressure for showy announcements and improve the quality of decisions.