The summit is literally The highest point of the mountain. Diplomatically, summits such as the NATO meeting, which took place on July 11-12, 2023, in Vilnius, Lithuania, are important gatherings of world leaders.
The question of Sweden and Ukraine joining NATO, a political and military alliance of 31 European and North American countries, was a major topic ahead of this year’s summit. while Sweden is now set to join the alliance, There is no fixed schedule When states determine whether Ukraine is acceptable or not.
Having served and attended summits as a diplomat in both the Clinton and Obama administrations, I know how much Energy goes into planning public and private diplomacy moments for these events.
NATO convenes this meeting as part of its regular work on major military and political concerns among its member states. But make no mistake – the United States considers itself central to this summit.
For President Joe Biden, the meeting is a test of his personal commitment to helping Ukraine win the battle against Russia. the The United States was the leader An alliance of countries that help Ukraine with Military and humanitarian aid. Biden has promised that the United States will help Ukraine.Whatever it takes. “
Peaks history
political leaders Master the art of modern diplomacy At face-to-face routine summits during the darkest days of the Cold War.
Winston Churchill, at the time the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, helped shape the concept of the political “top” in 1950, when he proposed “Barley on top. This means that the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union You must sit down and to find out who had what sphere of influence after the end of World War II.
But the history of summits stretches way back.
Another British politician, Lloyd George, first pushed for personal political meetings in the early 20th century, Mentionsed“,” If you want to settle a matter, you will see your opponent and talk to him. The last thing to do is write him a letter.
And it was The Greeks who first raised the idea of leaders speaking For leaders and discuss issues as a form of building trust.
Since the Cold War, Peaks It took many different forms And sizes range from regional to international meetings.
While some of these meetings produced few tangible results, others helped pave the way for major policy changes, including Nuclear arms reductions In the 1980s and A.J Treaty to limit the rise in global temperatures in 2015.
From an American perspective, the summits are defining moments in which leadership is demonstrated.
It hosted the presidents of the United States Tops on everything From Democracy to Trade Since the Cold War. And NATO summits have been held nearly every year since the alliance was founded in 1949.
But there is a certain level of pressure and anticipation surrounding this meeting, with Active war in Europe Because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Behind the scenes details
These huge events require extensive planning. Member states can volunteer to host summits, and Offers are evaluated And it was decided by the political branch of NATO.
From the advanced logistical teams that are the core business of presidential travel to protocol officers ensuring timing of handshakes or hugs for photography, every detail is important, generally and especially, in these kinds of affairs.
Fashion is also a choice – from the choice of tie to suits or dresses. Hair cannot be out of place. Women’s fashion choices tend to receive a lot of scrutiny and attention — as at any time First Lady Jill Biden wore espadrillesa popular type of shoe in Spain, to the NATO meeting in Madrid in 2022.
Hundreds of U.S. government officials across multiple agencies work behind the scenes at political summits, both on site and back home, to create pages and pages of briefing material for every minute of every hour of the meeting. Depending on the timing and importance of the summit, the Secretary of State may accompany the President on the trip.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is with Biden in Lithuania, where a delicate diplomatic dance is taking place with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukrainian leader tweet about How is his country being discussed without him attending the meeting.
There are secure documents to write and read and private sessions to brief Biden.
Preparing a table for the summit means that the host country must make actual and figurative decisions about its date Meals are provided And who brings dinner. The host country of the summit can boast of its local cuisine, which is considered a form of Culinary diplomacy.
Ambassadors of other participating countries also forward menu guidelines or people’s special dietary needs.
Expect the unexpected
For all the scheduling and agenda setting, there is the unpredictability of a political summit as people interact in real time.
Real-world events can also interfere with even a well-coordinated summit. A terrorist incident or natural disaster, for example, can turn a basic summit into an emergency meeting.
There are also human dynamics to the summit.
Reading a briefing note is one thing. It’s quite another matter, as a leader, to look directly at people and see their expressions and body language.
This gives weight to closed meetings with a few other people, as leaders often break away from large group discussions to compare notes and plot strategies.
And throughout the summit, aides will pass notes to Biden, and there will be gatherings in the lobby with diplomats and aides. Reporters will get bits and pieces of what’s even going on Closing press conference On July 12, leaders will answer questions about any decisions made, next steps and the general question of whether the summit was a success or a failure.
Upgrade the event
This meeting takes place in the middle of summer. Many Europeans flocked to the beaches, as in summer. Americans go to the national parks. It may be difficult to draw the world’s attention to the NATO summit. And in the absence of any significant announcement, summits can be a boring affair.
But in this case, there is a lot riding on the outcome of the NATO summit.
Ukraine takes center stage in this summit, as countries discuss issuing a political invitation to Ukraine to join the coalition. Not only should NATO plan its military response to an ongoing war, the United States and its allies must plan for Ukraine in the future once it emerges from the rubble. There is a current split among NATO members Whether they should confess Ukraine.
The stakes are huge: allowing Ukraine to join NATO would force Military alliance to defend its new member against Russia, which could then turn into a larger war across Europe. In the balance is the future of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose aggression against Ukraine is really about a desire to halt the growth and strength of NATO.
Tara Sonnshine He is Professor Edward R. Moreau for the practice of public diplomacy, Tufts University.
This article has been republished from Conversation Under Creative Commons Licence. Read the The original article.