06/26/2025

The NATO summit, which ended the day before in the Netherlands, was a triumph for US President Donald Trump and a disappointment for Ukraine. The key outcome of the summit in The Hague was the decision that the Alliance member countries would spend 5% of GDP on defense, said Secretary General Mark Rutte. Although Donald Trump confirmed his commitment to NATO’s Article 5, the Pentagon’s review of its position in Europe remains a problem for Europeans. This makes NATO members nervous, as some US forces may be moved from Europe, which will not allow the Europeans to strengthen their own forces.

As for Ukraine, in 2024, at the NATO summit, they said that Ukraine’s future lies in the Alliance. Now this idea has been removed from the agenda. Yes, in the text of the declaration, they assured that they support Ukraine, and the summit called Russia a “long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security.” However, for comparison: the declaration following last year’s summit in Washington mentioned Russia more than 40 times. For example, it contained statements that the Russian Federation is solely responsible for the “aggressive war in Ukraine” and remains “the most significant and direct threat to the Alliance.” The same 2024 statement said that “Ukraine’s path” leads to NATO. There are no such ambitious statements in the current communiqué. There is nothing of this in this year’s NATO document. On the productive side, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was eager to talk to the American leader again.

Another hot topic is the war in the Middle East. Officially, the conflict between Israel and Iran has been suspended. Donald Trump achieved a ceasefire, extinguishing the exchange of blows after the truce began and trying on the laurels of the main winner, but is the war between Israel and Iran really stopped forever?

Ukrainian diplomat and politician Roman Bezsmertny shared his thoughts on these and other relevant issues in an exclusive interview with OBOZ.UA.

– Let’s start with the war in the Middle East, which, according to Trump, he managed to stop forever. Of the three tasks set: to destroy Iran’s nuclear and missile programs and to change the regime, Israel has partially solved the first two for itself, but even this is questionable. Iran can now heal its wounds, rebuild its ranks, and become even more resourceful and decisive in the fight against the Jewish state. On the eve, the American media was full of information that, despite massive strikes on nuclear facilities, Tehran has retained key elements of its nuclear program. So, what happened strategically programmed a new round of the Iranian-Israeli confrontation.

– First of all, and this is fundamental: Trump or Putin’s interference in this process does not bring anything good. Because we understand perfectly well who we are dealing with. One is a banal criminal, the other is an exalted character who has long lost touch with reality. Everyone has their own world, their own beliefs, their own rules of the game. Therefore, first we need to clearly separate the information noise and the real course of events. Because the world does not fully understand what is really happening. And when we see that those exalted and inadequate people become key figures, it becomes clear: they are not solving the situation, but only complicating it. It would be much more effective to simply transfer weapons to Israel, give them tools, and strengthen their defense capabilities, rather than playing diplomacy in the sand.

– The US President unexpectedly publicly announced that he is giving China the green light to buy oil from Iran, which it mainly delivers to circumvent sanctions by tankers of the shadow fleet. Trump’s statement greatly surprised both oil traders and officials of his own administration, because sanctions are in force. What was that all about? The American president is already ready for the next step – to reduce pressure on Iran? Don’t you think that now it will be even more difficult for Israel and the world to stop the Iranian regime? Because Trump has already explained to everyone: the program has been destroyed, there is no threat, the issue is closed. And as a result: there is uranium, there is technology, there will be money, and now there will be time. Iran will feel great.

– Yes, you guessed it right. We now live in a reality where anyone who wants to have a nuclear bomb can start creating it. And this is no longer a hypothesis, but a reality. It is almost impossible to stop this process now, because, as practice shows, the presence of nuclear weapons guarantees survival. If you want not to be bombed, create a nuclear shield. This mechanism was launched a long time ago. And it has simply entered a new phase. And the reason is that the problem is not being solved. Today it is either ignored, or preserved, or replaced with imitation. And when you destroy the international non-proliferation system, when you destroy the control mechanisms, then do not be surprised: the system begins to crumble. And then it is every man for himself. And so, if we do not continue to solve the Iranian nuclear problem, then in a fairly short time it will play with other, much more threatening colors.

– What do you think: maybe Trump, on the wave of this illusory success with Iran, will try to apply his formula of “peace through strength” to the war in Ukraine? Of course, there will be no one to bomb, but a tough, ultimatum approach is completely in his style.

– Maybe. This is what the bombing case hints at. By the way, he was touched by Medvedev’s phrase about the possible transfer of technology by Russia to restore the Iranian nuclear program. It would seem, who is Medvedev to Trump? A melancholic worthless. But this remark touched him. This is his trigger. And Volodymyr Zelensky understood this perfectly. In The Hague, at a meeting with arms manufacturers, he said bluntly: pay attention to how the Kremlin reacted to the strikes – not with protest, but with new ambitions. And it was the right push on the right button.

– And at the same time, in the same answer, Trump said, I understand why Putin is the boss in Russia, and not Medvedev. That is, Trump does, albeit in passing, recognize Putin’s role as a leader.

– And this is precisely the weak point. The Kremlin has outdone itself in this game of flattery. Because by recognizing Putin as the “boss”, Trump is publicly fixing a point of strength. But it is precisely this point of strength that needs to be put under pressure. And this is the road to Donald Trump.

– The NATO summit has ended. The main impression is that it was organized to please Trump as much as possible. And it’s not just about the famous five percent that countries should spend on defense. For us, the main thing is that the issue of Ukraine is minimally present at this summit, which is what the American leader wanted.

– Let’s start with the fact that it is worth clearly distinguishing three things: information content, rituals and real decisions. This is best seen in the example of Ukraine. This summit actually lasted not two and a half hours, as they say officially. It lasted almost a week – starting with Mark Rutte’s speech at the Chatham House forum, where future decisions were actually announced. The summit itself consisted of three main days. On Monday, public institutions, analysts, defense and foreign ministers worked. On Tuesday, there was a public forum, a meeting of defense manufacturers, a meeting of foreign ministers of Ukraine and NATO, and a reception with the King of the Netherlands. As for the results. As for Ukraine, no matter what they wrote in the final communiqué, the funding has practically doubled. And these are exclusively NATO funds, without taking into account other sources.

It is important that the president met with the owners and top managers of the entire defense sector of Europe. They discussed what, how and where to produce. For the first time, it was announced that Ukraine would participate in the program to develop 150 billion euros reserved for the development of the European defense industry. And these are not just words – there is a specific model: the “2+1” principle – Ukraine + two European manufacturers. Also an important question: how to provide Ukraine with what is lacking on the European market – weapons and ammunition. This is still in the works, and is now being finally agreed. Each NATO country was clearly indicated its contribution, and the goal is not just in money, but in building a system: security, defense and – most importantly – the protection of Ukraine, which today is a real shield of Europe. And here we cannot fail to pay tribute to the new NATO Secretary General. Previously, such work was carried out by the Joint Forces Command. Now – he.

For the first time, the EU and NATO are working together, and it is evident: at the manufacturers’ forum, von der Leyen, Rutte, Costa spoke synchronously, as if according to a script. This means that the NATO program, Rearm Europe, and the Readiness program are synchronized. We are not talking about large, but about gigantic resources. And it is no longer just about money, but about how to use them systematically. SAAB, Rheinmetall – all key market players talked about how to prevent chaos in these processes. The military understands perfectly well: technologies have changed, approaches must also change. And the experience of Ukraine shows this best. That is why joint production agreements were presented so widely: with Britain, Norway – these are examples of how to act in the new reality. Because modern war is not about tanks and planes that turn into targets. It is about drones, autonomous systems, a new logic of combat. And from this position, even despite the Trump factor, this summit was more productive than the previous ones. Yes, sometimes you have to play – they gave him a piece of paper with five points, he read it, and everyone votes. But someone has to do the work. Because the threat has not disappeared.

– You rightly said: ritual things are important. The same press conference – by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, EU President Antonio Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen together with Volodymyr Zelensky – is symbolic. And regardless of what Trump thinks or aspires to, the Europeans are acting and demonstrating their position. But Ukraine is mentioned minimally at this summit. There is no tone that was there before. And this is also a signal for the Russian dictator Putin. It is the ritual silence that gives him reason to think that the West has other priorities. And in the meantime, the US president is thinking aloud about Article 5 – that it does not guarantee an immediate collective response.

– Yes, and we have understood this for a long time. If you open the text of the Washington Treaty, it is written in black and white: each country assesses the situation and acts as it can. In the third part of the fifth paragraph, this is spelled out verbatim. Let Trump be happy with his own interpretations. But the main thing is different. Europe realizes: the enemy is arming, the enemy is preparing for a new war. This means one thing: Europe must also mobilize, develop the defense industry and help Ukraine. Because what do we see on the example of the last year? In fact, in the period from January to April, Europe completely covered Ukraine’s needs. And not just covered – the resources even increased. The summit showed: this year Ukraine will receive approximately 15-20 billion euros – more than in any previous year. And most importantly, these funds will be structured. The lion’s share goes to joint production: Ukraine with Britain, Ukraine with Norway, Denmark, Finland. And this is not only about Ukraine, this is the autonomization of the European security system.

America is there. But it is far away. And we do not know who the next US president will be. And what the policy will be. Yes, there are enough shortcomings. And I do not deny them. But, despite all the unpredictability of Trump, important steps have been taken. Both in Canada and in The Hague, Ukraine got what it wanted. Yes, there are no loud statements. But no one canceled the Washington and Vilnius communiqués. The path to NATO has been preserved. The problems of 2025 have been solved. Yes, the Washington Post writes: Trump is silent, and Biden’s program is ending. Well, let him be silent. The main thing is that Europe takes responsibility. And we must understand: there will be less information, but on the contrary, more specific cases. This is visible even in the numbers – they name the total amount, but do not disclose the structure. Contracts have been concluded, but what exactly – drones, shells – they no longer voice. This is a new tactic. And it works.

– So what the Western media is writing now, saying that this is the most dangerous period in NATO’s entire history, the biggest crisis in 75 years, is this still an exaggeration?

– From the point of view of Trump’s information influence, yes, these assessments are justified. But if we talk about the real state of affairs, about the development of the European defense-industrial complex, the consolidation of European forces, and preparation for a possible threat, then no – this does not correspond to reality. Because what do we see? No one quarreled, no one ran away, which at this stage is already an indicator. And then practice will show. That is, the question is not in rhetoric, but in the system’s ability to withstand the crisis.

– We didn’t quarrel, because the threat is not too close yet. But when it becomes immediate, that’s when we will see how monolithic the Alliance really is. Volodymyr Zelensky says that intelligence has data: Putin is preparing an attack on NATO countries. Many military personnel in European countries admit that such a scenario is possible. The same German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, by the way, said clearly: “we have finally understood our Baltic friends .” And most importantly, “we have realized the mistakes of the past, there is no turning back. We must prepare .”

– I completely agree. And Merz, by the way, understands this perfectly well, because he, in fact, bears political responsibility for those four thousand German soldiers who have already been deployed out of the five thousand promised in the Baltic countries. He knows very well what happens when partners are not ready. And let’s take, for example, Sweden and Finland. They have just joined NATO, but they are already on the front lines. This is a new status. And something needs to be done with this status, and not only to explain it to their own citizens, but also to provide an army, infrastructure, and political will. The same applies to the Baltic countries, Poland. They are now under tremendous pressure. And they have two ways: either to strengthen cooperation with NATO and Ukraine, or to flee in the style of Orban. Why did I mention Orban? Because there are two trends in Europe right now: someone is rallying around security, and someone is starting to flee. Orban’s behavior is no longer even flirting, but a direct signal: he wants to distance himself from NATO and the EU, especially if Ukraine is there.

– The long-awaited meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump took place at the summit. One of the main topics of conversation was the sale of weapons, especially Patriot air defense systems. At the same time, the US president did not give a clear answer on how he intends to act in this direction.

– The fact that the question of buying and selling weapons has not been answered does not mean that the phrase that we are ready to work and provide assistance does not compensate for this. This means that the desire to help will look like the United States will sell weapons either to Ukraine or to a European intermediary, who will then send it to Ukraine. That is, there will be some kind of scheme here, which he does not want to voice, and therefore he does not give a final clear answer. It has not yet been formed. Moreover, he wants to talk to Putin first. Therefore, he does not want to voice this direction. But if we take a comprehensive analysis of what was said, he has made a decision for himself internally. Another thing is that now Ukraine, in a dialogue with Washington, ensures this process and does not give grounds to think differently. Here we must also understand that Moscow will also be very serious about it. Therefore, for today, we can put a very encouraging point on this.

– Canada signed a defense agreement with the EU against the backdrop of Trump’s rhetoric and his “annexation” fantasies regarding Canada. And now a defense agreement, participation in the 150 billion euro program for the rearmament of the EU. And by the way, a lot is written there regarding Ukraine. It is interesting, logical and indicative for the new leader of Canada, Carney.

– This is more than logical. If you look at the history of Canada’s participation in European wars – both in the First and Second World Wars – it always reacted quickly, even before the US. It helped Europe, supported its allies. Therefore, this defense synergy is not new. It is a pattern. And the fact that Canada is now deepening defense cooperation with the EU is natural. Because the further Trump’s America moves away from NATO, the closer Canada is to the European Union. This is a mirror process. And Carney understands this perfectly. His actions are not impulsive, but strategically thought out. After all, it is easier to negotiate with the EU as a consolidated force than with Washington, where Trump will say one thing tomorrow and another the day after tomorrow. And no matter what Trump says, he knows: the EU is no longer just an economic power, but also a future military power. All that remains is to give more freedom to Berlin. Because Germany is under pressure. Let us recall Trump’s famous phrase to Merz: “We do not want you to have nuclear weapons.” And Merz responded diplomatically: they say, we do not pretend. But the message is clear. This is no longer just concern – it is the jealousy of a global leader who sees Europe starting to play in its own league.

– So, in your opinion, this is just the first step towards something bigger and more strategic on the part of Canada and the European Union? For us, of course, this is an absolute plus.

– Obviously. This is a combination of efforts that, on the one hand, allows Canada to finally come close to fulfilling its obligations at least at the level of 2% of GDP for defense – not to mention 3.5%. Because, to be frank, among the countries that lag behind, Canada is one of the first on the list. And it is through this mechanism that it will be able to partially compensate for this. Because the question is not only about money. The question is what to invest in. And Canada has experience, has a defense program, it fought, it understands what it is doing. This is not an abstraction. And therefore, when Carney enters this process, he is perfectly aware that the resource will be used effectively. And the 2+1 formula is very correct. The European Union, Canada, Ukraine. Specific, joint, practical defense projects.

https://www.obozrevatel.com/ukr/politics-news/samit-nato-ne-stav-provalnim-dlya-ukraini-z-kilkoh-prichin-intervyu-z-bezsmertnim.htm