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But if NATO has many triumphalist about its stages in its first two thousand and eighty-one thousand dollar summit in Brussels, many summit leaders paradoxically appear anxious as they face the de-facto alliance leader, Donald Trump, who brings with it Tough talk on defense spending.
Charges that Russia is trying to destabilize the West with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's biggest expansion for decades, backed by a surge in US defense spending in Europe.
The meeting brings together more than 40 heads of government including the 29 allies and non-members partners from Finland to Afghanistan, underlining the organization's reach.
NATO is also set to expand again, inviting Macedonia to start accession talks and defying Russian warnings against enlargement of the US-led bloc deeper into the Balkans.
But Trump's comments about many allied governments in the United States.
"Trump said as he left the White House on Tuesday to his trip to Europe, which will also take him to Britain Finland, where he will meet Russia's Vladimir Putin.
Carefully-choreographed sessions and the leaders' dinner in a Brussels museum on Wednesday night are unlikely to mollify Trump, NATO diplomats say, as they found their dismay in May last year at a special dinner to welcome the president.
Back then, Trump spoke his mind, ignoring decorum and warning NATO allies that they owed "mbadive sums" and had to do more to stop terrorism.
RENEWED PURPOSE
No one knows for sure what should be done about NATO and diplomats also worry that European leaders might react, making a tense situation worse.
But unlike his recent tweets in which he berated allies, Trump struck a more affable tone in person: "We will work it out and all countries will be happy."
Trump may be expected to take over credit for the growth of European accounts.
NATO agreed in 2014 that each member would boost military spending to 2 percent of its gross domestic product by 2024. Now, cumulative spending by Europe and Canada has risen by almost $ 90 billion since 2015.
"Allies can take a little criticism if it comes to the USsecurity guarantee, but if Trump threatens to withdraw from NATO, then it could be very difficult," said NATO diplomat involved in the preparations.
Founded in 1949 to detain the Soviet threat, NATO is based on deep cooperation with the United States, which provides for Europe's security with its nuclear and conventional arsenals.
NATO has found renewed purpose since Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in 2014, sending battalions to the Baltics and Poland to deter any potential Russian incursions.
"European Council President Donald Tusk, has formed Polish Prime Minister, said of Moscow's highly-regarded organization of the World Cup soccer.
"No one should forget the essence of politics and the international relationship (with Russia)," said Tusk, who is expected to attend the NATO dinner.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS?
But the US president, who has the command-in-chief of the world's biggest military leads, has also indicated he wants to discuss, including non-NATO business such as trade relations with Europe.
He has already become tariffs on steel and aluminum exports and is threatening to do so on cars.
"We lose $ 151 Billion on Trade with the European Union." Charge us big Tariffs (& Barriers) !! " Trump tweeted, referring to the UStrade deficit with the EU, said the bloc and USgovernment say the United States has a surplus.
Following the divisive Group of Seven meeting in June, where Trump rejected the final summit statement, NATO envoys have left nothing to chance, negotiating the Brussels summit declaration meticulously days ahead and locking in policy decisions on Russia and Iraq.
At least one senior White House official has signed off on the NATO summit statement, one NATO diplomat said, which will contain a commitment to the 2 percent spending goal.
Trump's position remains unclear. "He can nullify everything with a tweet," another NATO diplomat said.
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