The leadership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is reportedly considering the possibility of abandoning annual summits, according to a senior official and five diplomats from member states who spoke to Reuters on April 27.

Such a move would allegedly help avoid “friction” when participants meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in the final year of his White House term, the report said.

Trump has repeatedly criticized other alliance members, most recently for allegedly failing to participate more actively in U.S. and Israeli efforts to pressure Iran.

The frequency of NATO summits has varied over the organization's 77-year history. Since 2001, they have become regular annual events. The next meeting is scheduled for July 7–8, 2026, in the Turkish capital. However, informed sources told Reuters that not all alliance members support such a tight schedule — calls to “slow down” are being heard.

One diplomat reportedly suggested that the 2027 summit in Albania would likely take place, while the 2028 meeting could be canceled. This year, the United States will hold presidential elections, after which Donald Trump is set to step down as head of state.

In response to a Reuters inquiry, a NATO representative emphasized: “NATO will continue to hold regular meetings of heads of state and government, and between summits, NATO Allies will continue to consult and make decisions on our common security.”

Two interlocutors linked such discussions to Trump, but several other sources indicated that these considerations are primarily driven by long-term planning logic.

Source: kun.uz