Leaders of 28 NATO member countries will gather on Thursday in Brussels at a brief summit in which US President Donald Trump is participating for the first time. Trump's allegations of the Alliance obsolescence, and of Brexit as a great thing caused quite a stir in Europe.
Summit in a new complex
NATO leaders gather at summits every two years, but this meeting is an exception, and the opening of a new headquarters is located exactly across the old seat in the Brussels suburb of Evera. The summit was planned much earlier this spring since they thought that the new headquarters of the Alliance would be finished.
The summit will be held in a new, unfinished complex, which will officially be opened on Thursday, but the real relocation is expected only when all works are completed.
Each of the leaders will have three minutes to discuss. Prior to the working dinner, two monuments will be initiated in front of the new building - in memory of the fall of the Berlin Wall and of the terrorist attack on the United States on September 9, 2001, when NATO activated Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty for the first time. That article states that attacking one member of NATO represents an attack on everyone. The opening will be enhanced by the spectacular rallying of the military aircraft from the member states.
Trump arrives in Brussels on Wednesday night from Rome, as part of its first foreign tour. Upon arrival, he will visit Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde in the royal palace. After that, Trump will have a working meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Métho, also in the royal palace.
Trump will be received by European Council President Donald Tusk and President of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker on Thursday morning at the headquarters of the European Council.
Twenty-four minutes later, MEP Antonio Tajani and EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini will join the meeting.
Strong security measures
The leaders of European institutions will be able to hear from first hand what Trump's position towards the EU is. No US President so far has been against the EU.
In fact, they have been just the opposite, with the exception of Trump, who described Brexit as an "excellent thing" in the pre-election campaign, adding that he hopes that the idea of Brexit will be followed by other EU members. There are a number of issues that the EU does not agree with the new US president - from the protectionist trade policy to the fight against climate change.
The Belgian police are expecting to have about Ten Thousand protesters in Brussels on Thursday, gathering under the slogan "Trump is not welcome here". Exceptional security measures and the presence of a large number of policemen and soldiers are expected.
