After threatening to create a “list of good and bad countries,” the administration of US President Donald Trump has not invited several key alliance allies to a NATO meeting, reports Politico.According to six diplomats involved in the planning, the meeting in Poland—proposed by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon official responsible for policy—is intended as a working group session on the future of NATO. However, many of the countries left off the invitation list—including Great Britain, France, and the Baltic states—are key players in the alliance that dedicate a significant portion of their budgets to defense; consequently, representatives from these nations are puzzled as to why they have been sidelined.Questions have arisen as to whether the US administration is playing a game that could further fracture an alliance already facing mounting Russian aggression and the threat of depleted arms stockpiles. A representative from one of the excluded countries stated that they have fulfilled all requirements asked of them, yet it is now difficult to discern the criteria for participation or the meeting’s actual objective. Little information has been provided so far. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the situation, while the Pentagon declined to comment.Since returning to the presidency, Trump and his officials have tirelessly criticized NATO for everything—from the refusal of alliance members to join a war against Iran to the failure of certain countries to dedicate 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) to defense. In a post on Truth Social earlier this year, Trump criticized allies, stating that he had always viewed NATO—into which Americans have poured hundreds of billions of dollars—as a one-way street. He argued that Americans protect other nations, yet those nations do nothing when Americans are in need. Trump also recently criticized another ally, South Korea, for scaling back planned joint military exercises, while simultaneously complaining that Seoul was not joining the US in a war against Iran.In April, the White House began discussing categorizing countries based on the level of support they provide for U.S. actions, seeking ways to penalize allies that do not align with Trump’s stance. This view has also been echoed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who encouraged “good” allies while warning that those failing to support US interests would face consequences. Although details regarding the NATO working group remain rather vague, it appears to be structured on a principle where some are rewarded at the expense of others.Colby has held two similar meetings with participants from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands. The participating nations—known as the Bergen Group—insist that these meetings are not intended to undermine the alliance; instead, the group aims to develop ideas to subsequently propose to the alliance as a whole. One diplomat remarked that this could serve as a driver of change for the entire alliance. He acknowledged, however, that some allies are concerned about being excluded from these meetings, particularly given that they have met or exceeded the required defense spending targets.Colby, the driving force behind the initiative, hosted the first such meeting in Bergen in June. In September, he stated that the plan is to involve the entire alliance in these ideas, adding that NATO would become stronger, better, and more resilient, while Europe would gain broader military capabilities. Colby has long shown interest in smaller-scale discussions among NATO nations. However, even the invited nations have raised questions as to why Colby specifically selected these meeting participants while leaving out some of the continent’s major players, such as Great Britain. One diplomat remarked that if the US is attempting to divide NATO into “good” and “bad” members, it poses a danger to the US itself, whereas for Europe, it is an existential issue.
Pentagon excludes several NATO allies from meeting · BNN
