NATO Summit Celebrates 75 Years of Military Alliance

They don’t want to make it part of the discussion, out of courtesy for Biden, but it is on everyone’s mind.

Former NATO assistant secretary general now working as a distinguished policy fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, Camille Grand, describing the context of the 75th NATO Summit taking place in Washington, D.C., this week.

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The largest military alliance in the world, NATO countries gathered together 75 years ago in the aftermath of WWII, in part to provide security against the Soviet Union.

Why It Matters: NATO includes 32 nations whose leaders gather in D.C. this week to celebrate the military alliance and map a way forward amid ongoing global conflict, such as the war in Ukraine. One major headline influencing this year’s gathering is the state of President Biden’s leadership in wake of the recent debate sparking questions about his cognitive competency.

Something To Consider: “In some ways, this NATO summit is coming as sort of the best of times and the worst of times. The best of times, in the sense that the alliance knows what it’s about. But it’s also sort of the worst of times — obviously because of the war in Ukraine, challenges of ramping up European defense spending, concerns about the reliability of the United States,” said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Also Worth Noting: As NATO kicks off in D.C., a Russian strike killed at least 37 people in Ukraine yesterday.

Read More: NATO leaders are descending on Washington. Here’s what to know (The Associated Press)

Photo Credit: NATO