Ukraine Sidestepped as NATO Summit Shifts Focus Amid U.S. Pressure and Global Priorities

At the early summits following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, NATO leaders gave Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a prominent role and rallied around his country. But as Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II enters its fourth year, Ukraine is set to take a back seat at this week’s NATO summit in the Netherlands.

Zelensky has been invited but will no longer sit at NATO’s main table. While Ukraine still faces relentless Russian aggression — including one of the largest drone attacks on Kyiv just last week — the shifting priorities of the United States, under President Donald Trump, are reshaping the alliance’s focus.

The U.S. is pushing to downplay Ukraine’s role at the summit, aiming to keep diplomatic space open to eventually engage Russian President Vladimir Putin in talks. Washington’s stance is also reflected in what NATO diplomats say will be a notably brief summit statement: just a single page with only passing mention of Ukraine.

This marks a dramatic departure from previous years. At last year’s summit in Washington, NATO pledged long-term security assistance to Ukraine and affirmed its “irreversible path” toward membership. In 2023 in Vilnius, Zelensky was hailed as a hero, a new NATO-Ukraine Council was established, and Kyiv’s accession path was accelerated.

Now, that momentum has stalled. The United States is effectively vetoing Ukraine’s membership, with no timeline in sight.

U.S. Priorities Shift Away from Ukraine

President Trump has signaled a growing reluctance to deepen U.S. involvement in the war. Earlier this month, he said it might be best to “let Ukraine and Russia fight for a while” before seeking a peace deal. He later confirmed he had spoken with Putin, mostly about Israel and Iran, but also briefly about Ukraine.

At the recent G7 summit in Canada, Trump floated the idea of welcoming Russia back into the group, potentially rehabilitating Putin diplomatically. The next day, Russia launched a massive drone barrage on Kyiv.

Zelensky, who traveled to Canada hoping to meet Trump, was left without a meeting or any G7 statement condemning Russia. “Putin is doing this simply because he can,” Zelensky said. “It is troubling when the powerful of this world turn a blind eye.”

The U.S. has also begun rolling back military support. Trump has frozen military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine’s armed forces and withdrawn participation from the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth skipped its most recent meeting — a first since the war began — and warned Congress that funding for Ukrainian military assistance will be cut in the upcoming U.S. defense budget.

No new aid packages have been approved since Trump returned to office in January.

“The message is clear,” said Riley McCabe, an associate fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Future U.S. support for Ukraine is far from guaranteed.” He warned that such a retreat could embolden the Kremlin to prolong the war, believing that American resolve is fading.

Europe Struggles to Keep Ukraine on the Agenda

While Trump wants the summit to focus on defense spending — with NATO’s 32 members expected to adopt a new investment pledge — many European leaders are still determined to keep Ukraine in the spotlight. They fear that if Russia wins in Ukraine, it may target other countries next.

But public support for defense spending could falter without a compelling reminder of the ongoing threat. Some NATO governments worry that if Ukraine is seen as sidelined, it could undermine political support at home.

Zelensky is expected to attend the NATO-Ukraine Council, where Kyiv sits as an equal among NATO allies. And he may join Trump and other leaders for a dinner hosted by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

Still, the summit is designed to be short — just one working session on Wednesday — in an effort to avoid disruption. With Trump’s attention now centered on Israel and Iran, even that brief session could be cut shorter.

A Telling Shift in Tone

Once a symbol of unity and determination, NATO’s summits on Ukraine now reflect a more fractured and uncertain Western response. For Kyiv, the message is sobering: international backing, once vocal and full-throated, may now be conditional — and increasingly fragile.