Bloomberg: NATO allies spar over pipelines, Ukraine support in summit talks

NATO members are struggling to coalesce around a joint statement for their summit next week due to disagreements over projects to extend the alliance’s fuel pipelines to eastern Europe and the duration of financial support for Ukraine, Bloomberg writes.

The talks among diplomats have gone overtime in recent days after allies initially appeared to have a deal over a short text leaders would endorse after the meeting in Ankara on July 7-8, according to people familiar with the matter.

The tensions have resurfaced as allies brace for a tense meeting in Turkey’s capital with US President Donald Trump, who regularly complains that NATO allies are not spending enough on defense and is scaling down US military presence in Europe.

During the talks, Poland has asked the alliance to finance the eastward extension of NATO’s Cold War pipeline network, which connects military facilities in western Europe, the people said, speaking anonymously because the discussions are private.

Warsaw has the backing of other eastern European nations, who were hoping the matter would be settled at last year’s summit in The Hague, they said.

Turkey is also competing for attention and funding for its own pipeline extension plans as part of NATO’s $28 billion infrastructure overhaul to enhance the alliance’s fuel security.

Separately, Italy has sought to water down the statement’s pledge to give Ukraine military aid through the end of next year, the people said. Rome has argued that the time reference would prejudge the possibility of a negotiated settlement to the war happening earlier, they said.

A draft of the statement said allies would offer Ukraine €70 billion ($80 billion) in 2026 and 2027, the people said. The figure doesn’t include any new commitments, instead representing NATO’s previous €40 billion annual pledge plus €30 billion each year from a European Union loan.

The specific aid mention would be a change from last year’s statement, which didn’t mention financial help for Ukraine.

Italy has pushed to cut the 2027 reference, the people said, citing increased diplomacy with Moscow as an example of how such a text would jar with the possibility of negotiations. However, people familiar with the Italian government’s thinking said Rome would likely not break consensus over the matter, even if Poland succeeds in its push to reopen the talks. They stressed aid to Ukraine wasn’t in doubt.

The spokespeople for Poland’s permanent representation to NATO and for Italian government declined to comment.

The US stance on Ukraine has softened in recent months. Trump has offered guarded praise of Zelenskyy and signed on to a pledge from the Group of Seven countries to support Ukraine and put more pressure on Russia.

The statement from the Ankara summit is also expected to include a mention of the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and of Iran not getting nuclear weapons. Russia is expected to be mentioned as a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security, in line with last year’s statement.

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