BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
Plans for NATO to hold its 2027 leaders’ summit in Albania have been thrown into uncertainty as alliance members prepare for next week’s summit in Turkey, with concerns over Albania’s defense spending and reported opposition from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump casting doubt on the proposed venue.
According to officials familiar with the discussions, a draft declaration being negotiated ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara does not include any reference to Albania hosting the alliance’s next summit, despite leaders previously indicating that the country would welcome heads of state and government in 2027.
The omission has raised questions about whether NATO is reconsidering its earlier commitment, as member states work to present a united front during the Ankara meeting while avoiding disagreements that could overshadow discussions on collective security and military spending.
European allies have been working to demonstrate to President Trump that they are making meaningful progress toward increasing defense budgets, an issue that has remained one of the administration’s top priorities within the alliance.
Several officials said that uncertainty surrounding the Albania summit comes at a sensitive time, with NATO leaders focused on maintaining unity while addressing growing security challenges and strengthening military readiness across Europe.
Earlier this year, reports indicated that NATO had also been considering scaling back its recent practice of holding annual leaders’ summits, a move some officials viewed as a way to reduce diplomatic tensions and simplify the alliance’s meeting schedule.
One person familiar with internal discussions said concerns have been raised that Albania’s relatively low defense spending could become a point of contention if the country were to host the alliance’s summit while still falling short of NATO’s long-term military spending objectives.
Officials reportedly worry that hosting a summit in a country perceived as not fully meeting alliance commitments could draw criticism from President Trump and shift attention away from broader security priorities.
A European diplomat said the latest version of the summit communiqué simply states that NATO leaders look forward to meeting again, without identifying either the date or location of the next summit.
Although the wording differs from previous summit declarations, negotiations over the final text remain ongoing, meaning changes could still be made before leaders formally approve the document.
Responding to questions about the omission, an Albanian government spokesperson emphasized that draft summit statements should not be viewed as final decisions, noting that discussions among member states are continuing.
The White House has not publicly commented on the matter, while NATO officials have also declined to discuss the ongoing negotiations.
The question of where NATO will hold its next summit has become closely tied to the alliance’s broader debate over defense spending.
In recent years, NATO summit declarations have traditionally announced the location of the following year’s meeting. At last year’s summit in The Hague, leaders stated that the next gathering would take place in Turkey in 2026, followed by a summit in Albania.
That same meeting produced one of NATO’s most ambitious defense spending commitments to date, with member states agreeing to work toward allocating 5% of gross domestic product to defense and related security investments over the coming decade.
Under the agreement, allies committed to spending 3.5% of GDP on core military capabilities, including personnel, equipment and weapons systems, while dedicating an additional 1.5% to broader security investments such as cybersecurity, infrastructure resilience and other defense-related programs.
Although many NATO members have increased military budgets since then, several countries continue to face challenges in meeting even the alliance’s longstanding target of spending at least 2% of GDP on defense.
Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that nearly all alliance members have now either reached or are on track to reach the 2% benchmark.
He noted that Albania, Czechia and Slovenia had not met the target last year but had all committed to exceeding 2% during the current year, describing the remaining number of countries below the threshold as relatively small.
The Albanian government has sought to reassure allies that it remains committed to strengthening its military capabilities and meeting NATO expectations.
Government officials said Albania is finalizing new fiscal measures designed to align its 2026 defense spending with the trajectory agreed upon by NATO leaders.
According to the government, once the measures are approved, Albania expects its combined defense and defense-related spending to reach approximately 2.6% of GDP in 2026 under NATO’s official accounting methodology.
Officials said that figure would include 2.2% of GDP allocated to core military expenditures, with an additional 0.4% directed toward broader defense and national security initiatives.
Despite the current uncertainty, some alliance diplomats believe Albania could still ultimately host the 2027 summit if the country successfully implements its planned increases in military spending over the coming months.
One European diplomat expressed optimism that Albania’s continued progress on defense investment could satisfy alliance expectations before a final decision is made, adding that the country remains the most likely venue for NATO’s next leaders’ summit.
The issue is expected to remain under discussion during next week’s gathering in Ankara, where alliance leaders will seek to reinforce unity, address evolving security challenges and demonstrate continued commitment to strengthening NATO’s collective defense capabilities amid an increasingly uncertain global security environment.
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