The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing a working meeting in Poland this October, inviting only select NATO member states. The talks, led by US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, are set to focus on the alliance’s future and possible reforms. However, according to Politico, not all NATO members have received invitations—major allies such as the United Kingdom, France, and the Baltic States are excluded.
Washington Forms a Smaller Group of Allies
The upcoming meeting follows a format that began to take shape during a June gathering in Bergen, Norway, where Colby met with representatives from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands.
This group has since become informally known as the Bergen Group. Diplomats familiar with the talks say the purpose is to develop proposals that could later be discussed within the broader alliance.
There is no confirmation at this point that a new formal structure is being created within NATO.
Why Were These Countries Chosen?
The US administration has publicly justified its selection of participants based primarily on their defense capabilities and demonstrated commitment to alliance obligations.
After the first meeting, Elbridge Colby stated that the invited countries sufficiently contribute to defense, have the necessary capacities, and are ready to engage in practical cooperation.
However, according to information cited by Politico, some of the allies left out of the meeting are still unclear about the exact selection criteria.
This lack of transparency is fueling questions about the intended role of this new format in NATO’s future operations.
UK, France, and Baltics Not Invited
Among the countries not included in the planned group—according to available information—are the United Kingdom, France, and the Baltic States.
One diplomat from a non-invited country told Politico that allies are trying to understand both the purpose of these meetings and the criteria by which Washington selects participants.
Yet a diplomat from a country that was invited rejected the idea that the intent is to split NATO into subgroups. According to this view, the smaller meetings are meant to prepare the ground for broader transformation within the alliance.
These divergent perspectives illustrate ongoing uncertainty among diplomats about the format, and the final details of the meeting may still change.
European Defense Capabilities Are Key
The Trump administration has long pushed European allies to increase their defense spending.
Washington also advocates for European countries to assume greater responsibility for their own defense and enhance their military capabilities.
This discussion is linked to wider debates on NATO’s future. In recent years, the alliance has focused on strengthening its eastern flank, increasing defense budgets, and modernizing military capabilities.
More on the ongoing transformation of the alliance can be found in the article ‘NATO Changes Its Strategy: The Alliance Is Massively Strengthening Defense and Preparing for New Security Threats.’
Poland’s Key Role in Washington’s Plans
The choice of Poland as the location for the next meeting is not accidental. Poland is a key NATO member on the eastern flank and has significantly strengthened its armed forces in recent years.
Warsaw also closely cooperates with the United States and actively supports a robust US military presence on its territory.
The US military already maintains an expanded presence in Poland, and Washington has previously discussed further increasing its footprint there. For more details, see the article ‘The US Military Sends More Troops to Poland; Permanent US Base Also Under Discussion.’
The security of NATO’s eastern flank is among the central topics for the planned meeting.
Denmark May Join the Group
According to a source familiar with the meeting preparations, Denmark may also join the group.
This is reportedly related to an agreement between Washington and Copenhagen concerning the expansion of the US military presence in Greenland. However, at the time of publication, the final list of participants for the October meeting was still not set.
The roster of invited countries may still change.
Could This New Format Change How NATO Works?
The planned discussions do not in themselves constitute the establishment of a new NATO decision-making body. The alliance continues to operate through its established structures, with decisions jointly made by all member states.
Nevertheless, smaller working groups can be useful for preparing proposals and coordinating among certain allies.
Washington is particularly focused on ways to boost European defense capacities, while European countries are keenly interested in the future shape of US involvement in the continent’s security landscape.
Allies Watch Developments Closely
The October meeting in Poland could therefore provide more clarity on the direction the Trump administration wants to take regarding NATO’s future.
So far, there is no indication that a formal new bloc is being created within NATO, nor any confirmation that non-invited countries will be excluded from alliance decision-making.
What is clear is Washington’s intention to use smaller meetings to discuss allies’ defense capacities and the future direction of the alliance.
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This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
