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Editorial: Le Monde

  • President Donald Trump dominantly achieved allies' commitment to increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP at the 76th NATO Summit.
  • The success of this commitment is a triumph for Trump, appealing to his 'Make America Great Again' political base.
  • Intense diplomatic efforts were deployed to avoid irritating Trump and revealing conflicts within the western nations.
  • The final summit declaration vaguely referred to the collective defense commitment, reinforcing the validity of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.
  • The final declaration, however, omits any mention of Russian aggression and the war in Ukraine.
  • Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but did not commit to continuing US military support for Ukraine.
  • Europeans are left alone and should prepare to lessen their dependence on US military backing.

Conclusion: Trump's handling of the summit emphasises the need for Europeans to seek their own security through more defence coordination and a decrease in reliance on US support.