NATO Cancels Albania Summit Next Year Amid Alliance Tension

NATO is scaling back its high-level meetings and will not hold a leaders' summit in Albania next year as previously planned, amid tension within the alliance over defence spending, Iran and the war in Ukraine. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said on November 12, 2026, that there is no common position yet on when the summit will happen, confirming it will definitely not take place in 2027. He noted that if a summit happens in 2028, it will be held in Tirana, the country's capital.

Meeting Cuts

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte played down the issue, stating that the alliance is flexible with its summits and holds them when a necessity arises. Until about a decade ago, NATO held summits every two years. Changes extend beyond leaders' gatherings, as defence ministers missed a meeting last month with none planned for next October, while foreign ministers will meet only once next year instead of twice under a reorganization package. U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have each skipped a NATO meeting or left early since taking office, with Mr. Hegseth using ministerial gatherings to berate or cajole European allies and Canada.

Spending Disputes

The planned summit in Albania faced hurdles after its name was removed from a July summit declaration, as some allies believe the country is not spending enough on defence and felt reluctant to reward it. Albania is projected to spend 2.15% of its gross domestic product on defence this year. NATO's target requires 32 allies to spend 3.5% of GDP on core defence by 2035 and 1.5% on defence-related infrastructure, with Spain, Belgium and Slovenia performing even worse. Hosting summits also carries massive financial and political costs, requiring extensive security, infrastructure updates, and preparation, such as the Netherlands' $100 million investment for the 2025 meeting in The Hague.

Context

NATO summits bring together leaders from member nations to coordinate mutual defence policies and address security challenges. These high-level meetings require extensive diplomatic preparation and security measures to manage relations among diverse member states. Virtual meetings remain an alternative option for emergency communications when physical gatherings are not feasible.