NATO Prepares a Strategic Step Against the Ambiguity of the USA

In the run-up to the critical NATO summit planned for Ankara, serious concern and a preparation process are observed on the side of European diplomacy. The greatest concern rising from European diplomats is the ambiguity of the attitudes of US President Donald Trump and when and how the 'Trump factor' within the alliance will come into play. For this reason, European countries have agreed to take concrete steps to display a more resilient and independent stance against possible variable policies of the USA. The summit stands out as one of the most important platforms where this quest for strategic autonomy will be discussed.

While the restructuring of NATO and European security against future scenarios constitute the main agenda items of the summit, maintaining the balance between allies seems difficult. Diplomatic sources are already producing scenarios against possibilities such as the interruption of the USA's contribution to the alliance or a complete change in military strategies. The effort to build a future security architecture for Europe more independently from the USA brings an inevitable new distribution of responsibility for countries like Germany. Decisions to be taken at the summit will be of a nature that will determine an alliance structure that will affect not just today, but decades ahead.

The biggest burden of this strategic transformation, however, rests not on Eastern European countries as thought, but on Germany. Germany is touted as the candidate to be the locomotive of this new independence strategy with both its economic power and military capacity. Federal government officials feel the pressure to increase military expenditures and make the defense industry more domestic and independent. The position Berlin will take will directly influence the path other European capitals will follow. Germany's this leadership role is considered one of the most critical diplomatic tests of the summit.

The ambiguity termed as the Trump factor is not limited to economic trade wars but possesses a depth capable of shaking the foundations of the military alliance. European diplomats find it difficult to predict how the US president will approach NATO's 5th article and collective defense guarantee. In this atmosphere of uncertainty, the summit in Ankara is seen not just as a routine meeting but as a turning point for Europe's endeavor to determine its own destiny. While a complete severance of relations with the USA is not targeted, a reservation is noted against the possibility of the relationship format turning from 'reliable partner' to 'strategic rival'.

As a result, the meeting in Ankara may witness the most ambitious and historic step taken for 'independence' in NATO's forty-year history. If the European bloc led by Germany creates an autonomous defense strategy without completely breaking away from the USA, the center of NATO may effectively shift from Washington to Brussels. Diplomats emphasize that this process will not be easy and every step needs to be calculated in detail. Seeing concrete signs of this transformation in the summit results will not be surprising for the world public.