The second day of the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington

The Wednesday, July 10, 2024, NATO Summit Day 2

The second day of the NATO Summit in Washington took place at the Convention Center. During this forum, the Washington Summit Declaration was issued, addressing issues related to the conflict with Ukraine, cybersecurity and national and cooperative defense, economic hegemony, and artificial intelligence.

NATO Summit Agenda (Wednesday, July 10, 2024)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg kicked off the day with a press conference at 08:15 (GMT-4). At 8:45 AM, leaders of the member countries delivered their opening statements. This press conference provided insight into each leader's perspectives and expectations regarding the summit's topics. At 09:00, an event was scheduled at the United States Senate with NATO Secretary General, sponsored by Senators Charles E. Schumer and Mitch McConnell, aimed at bolstering congressional support for NATO's objectives.

Around 11:00 AM, NATO Secretary General gave a presentation at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Later, around noon, the welcoming ceremony and official photo took place, followed by the North Atlantic Council at the level of Heads of State and Government. At 14:00, delegations from member countries made statements to the press. Simultaneously, at the Convention Center, the Washington Summit Declaration reflecting the commitments made was issued. At 16:30, a conference was held at the South Press Theater.

Finally, at 8:00 PM, the gala dinner for Heads of State and Government and their spouses commenced, officiated by U.S. President Joe Biden and the First Lady. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the U.S. Secretary of Defense hosted dinners for Foreign and Defense Ministers, respectively.

The War in Ukraine and Collective Defense: A Challenge at the Washington Summit

In his presentation in Washington, Jens Stoltenberg emphasized that NATO allies will make important decisions to increase support for Ukraine, strengthen deterrence and defense of the organization, and deepen partnerships with Indo-Pacific region partners. Constant threats from Russia were denounced for undermining Euro-Atlantic peace and stability. Similarly, he stressed that allies are providing increased support to Ukraine, coordinating assistance and security training for Kyiv. He highlighted the participation of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea in the summit, underscoring growing collaboration with Indo-Pacific partners.

Subsequently, the unity and solidarity of NATO Heads of State and Government were reaffirmed in the face of the threat of war in Europe and current global security challenges. For this reason, the importance of the transatlantic bond was reaffirmed, alongside an unwavering commitment to defending the sovereignty of member states in accordance with Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. Sweden's accession as the 32nd NATO member was celebrated, strengthening the Alliance in the Northern region and the Baltic Sea. Lastly, commitment to NATO's open-door policy under Article 10 of the Washington Treaty was reaffirmed. Thus, NATO maintains its commitment to collective defense of its members, crisis prevention, and defense cooperation based on common values of individual freedom, human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

NATO and Member States' Challenges in the 21st Century

NATO leaders acknowledged that more than two-thirds of the allies have fulfilled their commitment to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense. In response, measures were discussed to increase NATO's capabilities and modern contributions to defense. They reaffirmed the commitment to ensure defense investment agreed upon in Vilnius, recognizing the urgent need for additional spending to meet security requirements.

Additionally, the role of nuclear deterrence was highlighted as a cornerstone of NATO security. As a result, transatlantic defense industrial cooperation was celebrated, acknowledging associated financial challenges. These efforts are unfolding as members seek to promote collective defense modernization, including active support in implementing updated defense plans and preparing high-readiness forces.

Finally, leaders also welcomed initiatives to enhance capabilities, especially regarding critical munitions, and air and naval defense. In this context, the need to strengthen national and collective resilience was underscored, integrating civilian planning into national and collective defense, and explicitly addressing hybrid cyber threats.

NATO leaders pose for an official photo at the NATO Summit in Washington on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. In the front row, from left to right: Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; Dimitar Glavchev, Prime Minister of Bulgaria; Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium; Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania; President of the United States, Joe Biden; Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General; Kier Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey; Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden; Pedro Sánchez, President of Spain; and Robert Golob, Prime Minister of Slovenia. In the second row, from left to right: Zoran Milanovic, President of Croatia; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister of Denmark; Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia; Alexander Stubb, President of Finland; Emmanuel Macron, President of France; Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany; Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece; Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary; Bjarni Benediktsson, Prime Minister of Iceland; and Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy. In the third row, from left to right: Edgars Rinkēvičs, President of Latvia; Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania; Luc Frieden, Prime Minister of Luxembourg; Milo Đukanović, Prime Minister of Montenegro; Dick Schoof, Prime Minister of the Netherlands; Hristijan Mickoski, Prime Minister of North Macedonia; Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway; Andrzej Duda, President of Poland; Luis Montenegro, Prime Minister of Portugal; Klaus Werner Iohannis, President of Romania; and Peter Pellegrini, President of Slovakia. Photo: Mark Schiefelbein/AP

NATO and the Challenges of Artificial Intelligence

On July 10, 2024, NATO released its revised strategy on artificial intelligence. This document aims to accelerate the safe and responsible use of AI technologies within the organization. The revised strategy builds upon the strategy previously published in 2021, taking into account recent advances in AI technologies.

Firstly, this strategy aims to advance the implementation of NATO's Responsible Use Principles, enhance interoperability among AI systems across the Alliance, integrate AI with other emerging disruptive technologies, and expand NATO's AI ecosystem through increased cooperation. With this strategy, NATO for the first time identifies AI-enabled disinformation, information operations, and gender-based violence as issues of concern for the Alliance, our societies, and democracies. Within the framework of the new AI strategy, NATO will work to protect itself from the adversarial use of AI, increasing strategic guidance and analysis.