Friedrich Merz
One of the key topics of the meeting was the upcoming summit. At a joint press conference, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, according to Euronews reports, noted that coordinating positions with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania “is particularly important to us—and not just in the run-up to the NATO summit.”
He emphasized that the alliance needs to “make it more European so that it can remain a transatlantic alliance.”
Three Key Points for the Upcoming NATO Summit
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs outlined three priorities that, in his view, should form the basis of the summit’s work.
First, he recalled the agreement reached in The Hague last year—to spend 5% of GDP on defense.
“But now it is crucial that this figure translates into concrete military capabilities. Sometimes we see that the issue is not a lack of money, but rather the need to procure the necessary equipment and weapons systems. Furthermore, it is becoming clear that we need to strengthen the defense industry of every NATO member country,” Rinkēvičs stated.
Second, he said, it is important that the alliance—despite the discussions taking place within it, some publicly and some behind closed doors—remain united. NATO must stand firmly behind Article 5 and all the commitments it has undertaken.
The third point concerns the need for continued support for Ukraine.
“I very much hope that we will develop a unified approach when it comes to resolutely countering Russian and Belarusian hybrid threats and all other provocations,” he added.
Mertz emphasized: “The threat is not abstract; it is very real on NATO’s eastern flank.”
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