Zelensky Seeks Stronger Words as Trump Blocks Harsher NATO Language on Russia

NATO used noticeably softer language regarding Russia in its communiqué following this year's summit in The Hague, compared to previous years since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine, The Telegraph reports.

This year's communiqué states that NATO allies reaffirm their unwavering sovereign commitments to support Ukraine, whose security contributes to our own, and will, to that end, include direct contributions to Ukraine's defense and defense industry in the calculation of allies' defense spending.

By contrast, the 2023 and 2024 communiqués explicitly referenced Russia's "full-scale invasion” and its "responsibility for the ongoing conflict.”

Nevertheless, this year's text emphasizes that the allies remain united in the face of serious threats and security challenges, particularly the long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security.

Russian officials have repeatedly argued that Western military aid to Ukraine only prolongs the conflict. Moscow firmly denies any intent to initiate war against NATO members. President Vladimir Putin has said that such warnings are used to justify what he calls a "misguided policy” toward Russia. US President Donald Trump has also publicly stated that Russia poses no threat to NATO.

Focus Shifts to Defense Spending Target

This year's communiqué also reveals that NATO member states have agreed to commit to raising defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. It reads:

"Allies commit to annually investing 5% of GDP in core defense needs, as well as defense- and security-related expenditures, by 2035 in order to fulfill our individual and collective commitments under Article 3 of the Washington Treaty.”

The Telegraph notes that the length of this year's communiqué is unusually short — just over 400 words — compared to the document adopted at last year's Washington summit, which exceeded 5,000 words. This year's version is reportedly only about 10% as long.

According to the newspaper, this brevity was intentional, aiming to highlight the focus on increased NATO defense spending and to appeal to US President Donald Trump, who has long pushed allies to boost military outlays.

Zelensky Sidelined as Trump Pushes Peace with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had been lobbying in private meetings during the summit for stronger language condemning Russia's invasion. However, The Telegraph reports that President Trump refused to endorse a harsher version of the communiqué, arguing it could undermine his ongoing peace negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Future Summits and Strategic Goals

The document confirms that the next NATO summit will be held in Turkey in 2026, followed by another meeting in Albania. The communiqué also extends gratitude to the Netherlands for hosting this year's summit.

The two-day summit in The Hague, which began on June 24, focused primarily on deterrence and defense. In the lead-up, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte proposed that member states increase current defense spending from 2% to 3.5% of GDP, with an additional 1.5% allocated to military infrastructure, defense industry development, and other security-related investments — forming a total target of 5% by 2035.