The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has not invited representatives of several key NATO allies to an upcoming meeting in Poland, according to unnamed diplomats who reported on September 30.
The countries excluded from the invitation include the United Kingdom, France, and the Baltic states. The Pentagon’s decision has caused confusion among these nations, as they all spend significant amounts on defense and are critical members of the alliance.
A representative from one of the excluded countries stated: “We fulfill all the requirements that are imposed on us. We are trying to understand what the criteria are and what the purpose of these meetings is. So far, we have not been informed much.”
One source indicated that Denmark may be invited to the meeting because Washington and Copenhagen had previously concluded an agreement regarding Greenland.
The meeting was initiated by U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby, who planned to assemble a working group in Poland to discuss NATO’s future.
Colby has already held meetings with some NATO allies in a narrower format. However, the excluded countries now do not understand why key allies were not invited.
A source warned: “If they try to divide NATO into ‘good’ and ‘bad,’ it’s dangerous for the United States.”
