Last week, NATO leaders gathered in Washington DC for their annual summit, this year celebrating the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. However, much of Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s final summit was overshadowed by scrutiny of President Biden and then quickly followed by the assassination attempt on former president Trump and the announcement of his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance.

What was the main objective for NATO at this summit and was it achieved? Did competing for attention with President Biden and former president Trump hinder those objectives? What does the announcement of Senator JD Vance, one of the most prominent voices against aid for Ukraine mean for the future of NATO under a second Trump administration?

To discuss these issues, we welcomed USSC Senior Lecturer in US Politics and Foreign Policy Dr Gorana Grgic back on the podcast for a conversation with USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck. Dr Grgic attended the NATO Summit again this year and offered her perspective on the experience in the room as the eyes of the world were on DC.

Recommended reading and listening:

• USSC Briefing Room | Inside the NATO Vilnius Summit with Dr Gorana Grgic and Mari Koeck
• ‘I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine’: what a JD Vance vice presidency could mean for the world by Ava Kalinauskas and Samuel Garrett
• Red Book | Blue Book 2024: A guide to the next US administration by various
• Redefining NATO’s Indo-Pacific partnerships: cooperative security meets collective defence and deterrence by Dr Gorana Grgic

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Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat