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First the storm and then the calm. Actually, more. In the hall of the Atlantic Council, Donald Trump perceived the allies’ “love” for the United States. And for himself, of course. The tycoon rocked the Ankara summit, attacking in the morning – the usual ones who didn’t help on Iran, especially Spain but also Italy due to the lack of use of the bases – and mending in the afternoon. Rome becomes “good” again. “Almost everyone has been good, they’ve had a bad moment,” comments the Donald. Which then summarizes: “We have rediscovered unity.”
The threat of an embargo on Madrid
Of course, Madrid may not be safe yet. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Treasury “will work with the office of the trade representative to provide the president with a list of Spanish products that could be subject to an embargo in the coming days”, to follow up on threats earlier in the day, launched during his press briefing with Secretary General Mark Rutte (who tried to calm him down, interrupting the US president’s flow of consciousness by recalling how much Europe has done to support American forces in the operation against Tehran). We’ll see. The outburst may have no consequences, also because Madrid is part of the single market. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he is treating criticism “with calm, patience and a certain normality”, given that relations are generally good and that he chatted with Trump on the sidelines of the summit without drama, talking about the football world cup. In short, the message that has been circulating within the Alliance for some time prevails: look at concrete things and not (just) at declarations.
Rutte: «Hugely successful summit»
Rutte continued. “We have just concluded an enormously successful summit,” he said at the end of the meeting. «There was a strong sense of unity. Allies have warmly welcomed President Trump’s leadership, which is transforming this Alliance and making it stronger. The message of this summit is simple: NATO keeps its promises.” Therefore, everyone is united towards the 5% objective, while building the European pillar of the Alliance, namely NATO 3.0. Trump evidently paid attention to the notes prepared by the staff. The defense forum, with its billion-dollar contracts for American companies, had its effect. The final declaration of the summit was confirmed as the ambassadors had approved it last week and reiterates “the unshakable commitment to Article 5″ as well as support for Ukraine, which is now defined as a kind of transatlantic security asset.” So much so that Kiev will receive the coveted license to produce Patriot interceptors.
The Greenland case and Merz’s position
Well, it’s details like these that lift the spirits of allies, even though diplomats and officials sometimes risk having a heart attack. Trump raised the thorny issue of Greenland – “it’s a problem” – forcing the Danish prime minister to specify that she will always defend the territorial integrity of the Kingdom. Except then not going back to it again during the final press conference. Dedicated precisely to harmony. “For Europeans, the era of relying on others is over,” underlined German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. «When you know Trump, you know how he speaks and how he works, and I must say that I feel at ease, also because the result is better than that achieved in recent decades», he concluded.
What happens now: Albania on the agenda
Having archived the Ankara summit, we are already looking ahead. It is not clear when the next one will be held – there are those who would like to interrupt the annual frequency – but Albania has been confirmed as the next guest. Then all the decisions that – sometimes under the radar and behind the scenes – have been taken, for example on the replacement of American capabilities, must be put to the ground. The path is clear. Europe will increasingly take charge of its security and defense, while preserving the transatlantic spirit. Where the “indispensable ally” stands out: Washington.