With the escalation of the war in Ukraine, the deteriorating EU-US relationship, and the unstable situation in the Middle East, what's the state of the NATO alliance?
This week, Nato leaders met in Ankara on the occasion of the highly anticipated NATO summit. The event is usually held at pivotal times in the evolution of the transatlantic alliance, which is undergoing a challenging time due to the tense EU-US relationship.
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US President Donald Trump also participated in the summit. He threatened to unleash more military strikes against Iran and told reporters the US should control Greenland, casting shadows on the future of NATO.
To unpack this event and the other stories of the week, Euronews’ podcast Brussels, My Love? sat down with Donnacha Ó Beacháin, professor of politics at Dublin City University, Teresa Küchler, European correspondent at the Svenska Dagbladet, and Stefan Grobe, Euronews’ senior correspondent.
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“I think most people that were present were thinking of this [the NATO summit] in terms of damage limitation,” Ó Beacháin began.
According to the professor and author, Trump’s behaviour in Ankara highlighted the president's difficulties in distinguishing between NATO’s identity as a defence alliance and the US foreign policy strategy. “The US decided with Israel to attack Iran; it wasn't an attack on the US, therefore there was no obligation under Article 5,” Ó Beacháin said.
Despite Donald Trump’s attacks on Europe, the president loosened his position on Ukraine, permitting it to procure the Patriot air missiles, an anti-air defence system, crucial for Kyiv’s war strategy.
“I think the most recent military successes, or at least military surprises, by the Ukrainians have turned public opinion against Russia again, and backed Ukrainians in the United States,” Grobe highlighted.
Ó Beacháin also stressed that Vladimir Putin and Russia continue to be NATO’s greatest ‘salespeople,’ strengthening the ties within the alliance, specifically with the Nordic countries.
The summit ended on 8 July with leaders of the 32 member states agreeing on a common declaration, restating commitment to collective defence.
Marine Le Pen promises running in France's presidential elections
Also on the show, the leader of the French far-right party National Rally Marine Le Pen said this week she will run for the presidential election in 2027.
Due to her conviction for fraud and the court’s ruling, Le Pen’s campaign might yet look very unusual: “What could happen is basically that if she does win the presidency, we could have a president walk into the Élysée palace with an electronic device around her ankle,” Küchler explained.
Le Pen also said she will appeal again to France’s top court, and said she considered herself “innocent”.
The Belgian Red Devils provocative dance
In the early hours of Tuesday (7 July), Belgium eliminated the US from the World Cup, in a match highly dominated by the Red Devils. The game was partially overshadowed by FIFA’s decision to overturn a red card received by US player Folarin Balogun, a move pressured by Donald Trump.
At the end of the game, the Belgian team imitated the viral Trump dance, a moment then shared all across social media.
“All world was with Belgium, which is again back to Donald Trump's unique ability to alienate friends and allies," Ó Beacháin highlighted.
For more on that, make sure you keep following Brussels, My Love?, and listen to the full episode in the player above or wherever you get your podcast.