Plans for the NATO summit scheduled in Albania in 2027 are uncertain amid resistance from the Trump administration and dissatisfaction within NATO over Albania's low defence spending [1, 2]. A draft statement prepared for the July 7-8, 2026 NATO summit in Ankara does not mention Albania as the next summit host, despite prior commitments to hold the event there [1, 2]. An unnamed Albanian official highlighted the draft status, saying, "Drafts are drafts, not decisions" [1].
At the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague, member states committed to raising defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, up from the previous 2% target set in 2014 [1, 3, 4]. That year, all 32 NATO members met or exceeded the 2% threshold for the first time [3].
The US, under President Donald Trump, is pressing allies to rapidly meet the new 5% spending goal. US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker stated, "Trump fully expects that all allies will step up immediately and get on the path to 5% and do it with urgency" [4]. He pointed to Poland, Nordic countries, the Baltics, and Germany as leaders already at or close to 5% defence spending [4].
Tensions persist between the US and some NATO members over burden-sharing and spending commitments, complicating summit logistics and planning [1, 3, 4]. Some NATO officials view Albania's current low defence spending as a potential source of negative headlines if it hosts the summit [1].
The upcoming NATO summit in Ankara this July will focus heavily on defence spending and burden-sharing, seen as a test of allies' progress toward the 5% target [1, 3, 4]. The omission of Albania from the draft Ankara summit statement reflects ongoing uncertainty about the 2027 summit's location [1].
The Ankara summit will take place July 7-8, 2026, with defence and spending high on the agenda amid US-European tensions [1, 3, 4].
