NATO foreign ministers convened in Helsingborg, Sweden, to review the alliance’s direction ahead of a July summit in Ankara. Discussions centered on strengthening European defense capabilities, supporting Ukraine, and managing relations with the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was expected to join the meeting shortly. Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard noted that recent US statements on troop deployments have sometimes been unclear. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for a balanced alliance with strong contributions from both the US and European members. He expressed continued backing for Ukraine, including potential EU membership, and urged greater NATO attention to southern security challenges. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said she anticipated a US commitment to NATO during the talks and criticized Russian disinformation campaigns targeting the Baltic states. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski welcomed a US decision to maintain troop levels in Poland. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte outlined priorities including increased defense spending and production to deter adversaries, as well as sustained assistance for Ukraine. The ministers also addressed NATO reforms aimed at shifting more responsibility to European allies amid changing US priorities.
