On Wednesday, May 14, at 9:30 am ET, the Atlantic Council—in partnership with the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence—will host the fourth iteration of its high-level NATO Summit curtain raiser discussion to preview priorities ahead of the summit in The Hague.

The NATO Alliance faces unprecedented challenges. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine brought full-scale war back to the European continent and united the Alliance in ways not seen since the Cold War. In this geopolitical environment, the Trump administration is pushing European and Canadian allies to rapidly assume greater security and defense responsibilities. In response, NATO allies are ramping up defense spending and production to boost their defenses and to continue supporting Ukraine. As NATO seeks to deter Russia and adapt to potentially lessened US engagement and support in the region, NATO’s Summit in The Hague comes at a critical moment for the Alliance and the future of the transatlantic relationship.

This discussion will examine the importance of transatlantic security, the US commitment to Europe, and priorities for the upcoming summit.