Beyond The Hague Summit: A Europe-led NATO Engagement with the Indo-Pacific
By Francesca Frassineti [Adjunct Professor, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice & Non-resident Research Fellow, Asan Institute for Policy Studies]
-Trump's cannibalisation of the summit also meant that there were no specific points devoted to reaffirming the importance of enhancing NATO’s ties with its Indo-Pacific partners: Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
-The decision of Australian PM Anthony Albanese, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba to skip the NATO gathering in The Hague—leaving New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon as the only IP4 head of government in attendance—expectedly drew criticism from opposition parties at home and raised concerns abroad about how these countries perceive the value of their partnerships with NATO.
-Yet, in the absence of the Biden administration acting as an honest broker insistent on an inclusive and holistic approach to partnerships management, the IP4’s downgraded presence in The Hague underscores the perception that the United States is stepping back from the NATO-Indo-Pacific partnership framework.
