From July 9th to 11th, NATO will hold its historic 75th-anniversary summit in Washington, DC. On the sidelines, CNAS and other think tanks will host the NATO Public Forum. Though the summit will in part be a celebration of the alliance’s enduring success, it also comes at a time when NATO is grappling with numerous challenges. The most pressing issue is of course Ukraine, as NATO members will need to continue to work together to provide Kyiv with support in its efforts to fight off Russia’s invasion. Beyond Ukraine, NATO must navigate the ongoing modernization of its defense and deterrence plans, the increasing risk of hybrid attacks from Russia, the transition to a new Secretary General, and much more. To offer a preview of the Summit and what we should expect, Douglas Lute and Kurt Volker join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend on this week’s episode of Brussels Sprouts.   

Douglas Lute served six years in the White House during two administrations as well as in the role of U.S. Ambassador to NATO during the second Obama-Biden term.   

Kurt Volker previously served as U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations from 2017 to 2019 and as U.S. Ambassador to NATO from 2008-2009.