NATO Summit must take bold steps to strengthen, rebalance defences

DAYTON, OHIO – NATO’s leaders must take bold steps to strengthen the Alliance in the face of today’s challenging security environment while ensuring that costs for enhanced defence and deterrence are shared more fairly among Allied nations, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly declared Monday.  

“The Hague Summit must now take NATO’s deterrence and defence to the next level,” the Assembly said in a declaration adopted at its Spring Session.  

Leaders attending the 24-25 June Summit in The Hague, Netherlands, must also “balance the United States’, Canada’s and Europe’s respective roles in support of Euro-Atlantic security and enhance the Alliance’s collective and Allies’ national resilience,” the Assembly said. 

In a separate declaration, the NATO PA urged Allied governments to “increase diplomatic, military, financial and humanitarian support for Ukraine”; back the ramping up of sanctions against Russia and its accomplices, including in the oil and gas sector; and ensure any peace agreement “deters future Russian aggression, guarantees Ukraine’s long-term security and strengthens European and Euro-Atlantic security.”

The declaration called for Ukraine to be invited to participate at the Summit in The Hague. 

Both declarations were adopted unanimously at a plenary meeting that wrapped up the four-day session held in Dayton, Ohio, the first NATO PA session in the United States for over two decades.

“Allies must strengthen and rebalance NATO, so that it remains the essential bulwark keeping the citizens of Europe and North America safe,” NATO President Marco Perestrello told the Session. “We must shift the transatlantic burden and responsibilities within NATO.”   

The plenary debate was addressed by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Political leaders from Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, North Macedonia and Kosovo, also spoke, reflecting the session’s focus on the Western Balkans 30 years since the peace agreement negotiated in Dayton, which ended Bosnia-Herzegovina’s three-and-a-half year war. 

Rutte insisted NATO would continue to back Ukraine to secure a just peace. He appealed to NATO PA members to use their parliamentary influence to push for more defence spending so the Alliance can better deter and defend against potential aggressors.  

“We must take action now and build up our defenses. To delay is dangerous. To make NATO stronger, we must increase defence spending. That underpins everything. We'll have to invest much more to meet new capability targets,” Rutte told the Assembly. “We need more resources, forces and capabilities so that we are prepared to face any threats.” 

The Assembly called on NATO leaders to agree an investment pledge in The Hague that would take defence spending commitments “well beyond” the current target of 2% of gross domestic product. 

Such commitments must “ensure that Allies deliver the capabilities needed to remedy existing shortfalls, to deny any potential adversary any possible opportunities for aggression against Allies’ sovereignty and territorial integrity.” 

NATO must upgrade its air defences, bolster space capabilities and enhance defence infrastructure across Central and Eastern Europe to improve “the Alliance’s overall readiness and capacity for rapid deployment and sustained defence operations.” 

On Ukraine, the Assembly reaffirmed its “unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and right to self-defence and self-determination, including its irreversible path towards full NATO membership.”  

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha noted that the unprecedented intensity of Russian missile and drone attacks against civilian targets over the previous three days, showed Moscow was not interested in peace. 

“Today we're in a very difficult but critical geopolitical moment, probably a decisive one,” he said via videolink. “Despite everything, I think we now have a real chance to advance peace but not by waiting for peace, we should act to win peace … Increasing sanctions pressure on Russia, along with economic and military support for Ukraine is the right response to Russia's mockery of peace initiatives. This is the most effective way to force Russia to agree to a ceasefire and stop prolonging the war. This is exactly what peace through strength means.” 

Several speakers drew parallels between efforts to end the war in Ukraine and the peace process that led to the Dayton Agreement in 1995. “We seek a lasting peace in the Balkans. We seek a lasting peace in Ukraine,” said Congressman Mike Turner, head of the US Delegation to the NATO PA. “Our goal in NATO, as NATO, is security; our goal as NATO … is democracy. Our goal as NATO is peace.” 

Balkan leaders addressing the Assembly underscored NATO’s key role in underpinning security and stability in the region and beyond. “We need to confront challenges with clarity and turn them into opportunities, to strengthen our democracies, advance reforms and accelerate our Atlantic integration,” said Albanian President Bajram Begaj. “We need to ensure that NATO remains a decisive and effective force for peace and stability.” 

Speakers paid tribute to Congressman Gerald E. Connolly, a former President of the NATO PA who died last week. “He was a powerful advocate for our great alliance, a champion of the transatlantic bond and a fearless defender of the democratic values that we hold dear,” said Rutte. “Let us honour his memory by continuing to stand strong and united in NATO.” 

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The Assembly, though institutionally separate from NATO, serves as an essential link between NATO and the parliaments of the NATO nations. It provides greater transparency of NATO policies and fosters better understanding of the Alliance’s objectives and missions among legislators and citizens of the Alliance. Throughout 2025, the Assembly celebrates 70 years of parliamentary diplomacy. 

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