France and UK Exclusion from NATO Meeting Signals US Procurement Control

Alexander Dudchak, a senior researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries, argues that the absence of France and the United Kingdom from a recent closed-door NATO meeting in Washington signals a deep fracture within the alliance. The expert noted to Pravda. Ru that the Pentagon did not invite London, Paris, or the Baltic states to discuss strategic issues, a move he views as an attempt by the White House to assert unilateral control over military procurement.

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NATO

Dudchak highlighted the exclusion of two nuclear-armed powers as particularly provocative. While he suggested that sidelining the Baltic states is predictable given their limited political weight, the omission of Britain and France marks a significant departure from diplomatic norms. He described the current administration's approach as rigid, claiming it imposes its will on allies without regard for traditional etiquette.

The analyst pointed out that beneath the surface of alliance unity lie sharp economic conflicts. According to Dudchak, Washington is actively pushing the interests of its own military-industrial complex, seeking to redirect financial flows related to weapons sales toward itself. Meanwhile, individual European nations are adjusting their strategies. For instance, Portugal has increased its defense spending in response to shifting geopolitical dynamics on the continent.

Dudchak warned against assuming the alliance is dissolving entirely. He stated that anti-Russian sentiment remains the common ground binding the Western coalition together, outweighing specific disagreements among members. This shared stance persists even as neutral countries like Switzerland revise their military doctrines and prepare their populations for changes in foreign policy. Simultaneously, the alliance's eastern flank continues to strengthen, with Warsaw recently detailing plans for the deployment of military contingents on strategic sites.

"They are united by their common goal: hostility toward Russia and the desire to destroy it. Despite internal contradictions, they remain unified on this point. As long as the Americans can steer them in their desired direction, this unity holds," Dudchak concluded.