24 June 2025, The Hague

By Mykola Volkivskyi

Member of the Board, Institute for Strategic Risk and Security (ISRS)

Reporting from The Hague NATO Summit

While the official opening of the NATO Summit is scheduled for tomorrow, high-level forums and working discussions have already begun today, setting the tone for what promises to be a transformative gathering.

The NATO Summit in The Hague marks a pivotal moment not only for the Alliance but for the wider Euro-Atlantic security order. As a Member of the Board at the Institute for Strategic Risk and Security (ISRS), I’ve had the privilege to witness and engage with key decision-makers during this high-stakes gathering—where strategy, security, and sovereignty intersect.

President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered one of the most powerful interventions at the NATO Defence Forum today, urging member states to commit 5% of their GDP to defense spending. His message was anchored not in politics, but in existential truth: Ukraine’s fight is Europe’s front line. He warned that without sustained support, Russia could be emboldened to test NATO’s Article 5 within the next five years. This is no longer a hypothetical—it is a scenario that top planners across the Alliance are now treating with grave seriousness.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s response to this challenge was both bold and clear. He outlined a vision in which NATO would adopt a structured 5% spending model, with 3.5% going to military capacity and 1.5% allocated for resilience—including cyber defense, infrastructure protection, and civil readiness. The underlying message was unmistakable: NATO must act not as an institution of diplomacy alone, but as an engine of strategic deterrence.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed these sentiments with a compelling argument for fiscal adaptability. The European Union must adapt its financial governance mechanisms to match the scale of the security threats we face. Her words reflected a growing understanding that defense investment is not a burden—it is a prerequisite for peace.

Ukraine, although not yet a NATO member, is shaping the direction and doctrine of the Alliance. Zelensky’s role is no longer that of a petitioner, but of a strategic actor helping to define the defense landscape of Europe. His meetings with key NATO and EU leaders demonstrate how central Ukraine has become in transatlantic security planning.

From an ISRS perspective, we are witnessing a textbook case of strategic realignment under pressure. The summit’s key outcome is not only the budgetary pledges but the psychological shift: NATO is adapting to an era where military-industrial readiness is once again paramount. Russia's aggression has recalibrated the Alliance’s priorities, and Ukraine’s defense has become the critical proving ground for NATO’s credibility.

It is also important to recognize the broader geopolitical context.

As the summit progresses, it is increasingly evident that Ukraine is no longer on the sidelines of NATO’s agenda. It is actively informing the decisions that will define the Alliance’s future. The conversations taking place behind closed doors reflect a deepening recognition that collective security begins with frontline resilience.

History will remember this summit as the moment NATO stepped decisively into a new strategic paradigm—one shaped in no small part by Ukraine’s courage, clarity, and commitment. And from The Hague, that future looks more united than ever.