Summit in The Hague expected to confirm Albania as host to NATO summit in 2027

The draft of this year's NATO summit declaration, which Radio Free Europe has seen, confirms that Albania will be on the ground in 2027.

This year's summit NATO is held in The Hague of the Netherlands next week, while 2026 will be held in Turkey.

At the end of the draft of the declaration, we express our gratitude for the hospitality of the Netherlands Kingdom. We look forward to our next meeting in Turkey in 2026, which will be followed by a meeting in Albania”.

According to the draft declaration, NATO leaders reaffirm commitment to collective protection according to Article 5 and determination to protect citizens and democracy. They pledge to increase defence spending to at least 5 percent of GDP by 2032 to 3.5 percent for military capacities and 1.5 percent for critical infrastructure, innovation and the defence industry.

Support for Ukraine remains strong and will be included in defence spending calculations. The alliance also committed to strengthening the joint defence industry, removing trade barriers and promoting technological co-operation among allies, according to the draft declaration.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama é, who won the fourth mandate months earlier, had warned last summer that Albania would welcome the NATO summit in 2027.

Albania's capital, Tirana, was host to an important meeting this year, as it gathered major European leaders for the European Political Community summit in May.

Albania has been part of NATO since 2009, and this will be the first time it welcomes its summit.

NATO has an air base in Albania, alone in the Western Balkan region, respectively, reports REL.

It was inaugurated in March 2024, after NATO invested approximately 50m euros in it, while the Albanian government spent more than 5m euros.

Albania is in talks with NATO also on building a maritime base in Porto Romano on the Adriatic coast. /Periscope/