The NATO summit in Washington, where NATO was established 75 years ago by signing the Washington Treaty, brought together presidents and prime ministers from 32 NATO member countries. The most urgent topic of the summit was reinforcing ongoing support for Ukraine, which is now in its third year of resisting the Russian invasion. The Allies made decisions aimed at providing Kyiv with long-term military and financial support amounting to approximately 40 billion euros annually and preparing Ukraine for future membership in the Alliance. NATO will coordinate the provision of international security assistance to Ukraine from its headquarters in Wiesbaden. Immediate assistance to Ukraine with additional military supplies was also discussed, and the conclusion of security agreements between individual NATO countries and Ukraine was appreciated.  

The Alliance reaffirmed its clear stance towards Russia, which poses the most serious and long-term threat to the Allies. By the next summit in The Hague in the summer of 2025, a new strategic approach to Russia will be developed. Participants at the summit also discussed China, identifying it as a decisive supporter of the Russian defense industry and, therefore, of Russian aggression against Ukraine. 

"Before the war in Ukraine, Putin thought that NATO would crumble and that the Allies would be weak. Today, NATO is stronger than ever. Thirty-two allies are ready to defend allied territories against Russian imperialism. Supporting the heroic Ukrainian defense against Russian aggression is part of that commitment. The summit sent a clear message to the whole world that we are united and determined," said Minister Lipavský. 

Another important point of discussion was the increase in NATO's defense capabilities and progress in implementing new defense plans aimed at deterring potential enemies. NATO now has 500,000 troops on combat alert and is ready to defend in all areas – land, air, sea, cyber, and space. Decisions were made regarding command structure, military capabilities, and the ability to reinforce the Alliance's eastern flank. 

Four Indo-Pacific countries – Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea also attended the summit. It was decided to start concrete cooperation with these partners in countering disinformation, enhancing cyber security, and advancing artificial intelligence. 

"NATO is a regional defense alliance but has global interests and global partners because our security is interconnected with the security of other regions," said Czech foreign minister. 

NATO member state leaders also appreciated the work of Jens Stoltenberg, who served as NATO Secretary General for ten years. He will be succeeded in the fall by former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. 

On the sidelines of the summit, Minister Lipavský met with his Dutch counterpart Caspar Veldkamp and Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares.