German government spokesperson: NATO summit has been planned for months, no reason to doubt Trump's attendance.

German government spokesperson: NATO summit has been planned for months, no reason to doubt Trump's attendance.

The upcoming NATO summit in The Hague, scheduled for June 22-23, 2025, has seen a shift in focus due to recent U.S. strikes on key nuclear sites in Iran. The anti-NATO protest in The Hague on Sunday, originally planned to oppose NATO's military policies, pivoted to condemn the U.S. attacks, highlighting rising tensions in the Middle East [1].

The protest, estimated to have around 5,000 participants, marched towards the Peace Palace, home to the International Court of Justice. Demonstrators carried banners calling for de-escalation, diplomacy, and the disbandment of NATO, with some protesters expressing concern about the U.S. attacks on Iran [1].

The U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites have been a significant factor in the shift of focus at the NATO summit. A German government spokesperson indicated that Iran is likely to be a topic of discussion at the summit, though the spokesperson did not comment on any allies' possible attack plans [2].

The summit is expected to discuss a proposed 5% defense spending target pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump and backed by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. The target is aimed at securing consensus at the summit, which begins on Wednesday [3]. However, the summit's main discussions are expected to last only three hours, with the summit statement being reduced to five paragraphs, reportedly due to the US president's demands [3].

The summit's brevity and reduced agenda are likely to help hide divisions among NATO members, particularly regarding the U.S. president's demands and the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Despite the focus on Iran and defense spending, contentious issues such as a new Russia strategy and discussions about the war in Ukraine are not expected to be part of the main discussions [3].

The NATO summit, set to take place at the World Forum in The Hague, is expected to be the most expensive in history, with Dutch police mounting their biggest ever security operation at a cost of €183.4 million (£155 million; $210 million) [3]. The summit will see the attendance of 32 leaders from the Western defensive alliance, along with the heads of more than a dozen partner countries.

The focus on Iran and defense spending is likely to dominate the summit's discussions, with the U.S. president's demands for higher defense spending by NATO allies being a key point of contention. The summit is expected to be a significant test of unity among NATO members, particularly with the U.S. president's stance on the organization and its policies.

References:
[1] Reuters. (2025, June 22). The Hague NATO summit protest shifts focus to Iran. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/hague-nato-summit-protest-shifts-focus-iran-2025-06-22/
[2] Newsmax. (2025, June 20). Germany: Iran to be topic of discussion at NATO summit. Retrieved from https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/germany-nato-iran/2025/06/20/id/1215746/
[3] BBC News. (2025, June 19). NATO summit: What to expect at the Hague. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93kqnz3pxgo