The NATO summit in The Hague (24-25 June) will be recalled for a number of reasons: the allies, barring Spain, committed to raising their spending on defence to 5% of GDP by 2035, a sum deemed inconceivable before; there were no significant disagreements, not least because all allies went out of their way to ensure that US President Trump was not upset, by anything; and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, formerly Premier of the Netherlands for a decade who objected to any form of extraneous collective spending, on defence and much more, managed to overshadow all Trump pacifiers by referring to him as Daddy.
One of the signs that the past five years have been dense and intense is that there has been a NATO summit every year since 202. But then again, in a world of increasing tensions and wars, latterly in Iran and endlessly in Ukraine, Gaza and the wider Middle East; in a world of Putin, Xi and of course Trump, summits are necessary just to keep allies on board, or at least afloat. But they also showcase the harsh reality of a world of Strong Men who think of themselves as Big Men, making history.
This is a marked change to the previous decades, definitely since the end of the Cold War, and to understand its meaning, as well as the spectacle of the NATO summit, Ilana Bet-El is joined by two Big Women Leaders who were ambassadors to NATO: Kerry Buck of Canada and Muriel Domenach of France. Reflecting on the alliance, the summit, security, defence, common values and much more, this strong discussion takes us on a Transatlantic tour in a time of major change.
This episode was recorded on 26 June 2025
Chapters
What was the outcomes of NATO Summit?
Trump evolution over the NATO Summits
How Europeans deal with Trump behaviour?
What is the future of NATO?
Mentions
Follow
Kerry Buck LinkedIn, X/Twitter
Muriel Domenach LinkedIn, Globsec
Instagram @women_leaders_podcast
Credits
Production: Florence Ferrando
Music: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat
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