Deterrence and Defence, Ukraine and Western Balkans top the agenda at NATO PA Spring Session in Dayton

“There is no peace without strong and credible defence and deterrence, and that is only possible with more investment in our defence capabilities and industrial capacity”, emphasises Marcos Perestrello (Portugal), President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) on the eve of the 2025 Spring Session in Dayton, OH, United States.
 
“With less than five weeks to go before an extraordinarily important NATO Summit in The Hague, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly will put its marker down in Dayton: we must strengthen NATO so that it remains the essential bulwark keeping the citizens of Europe and North America safe.”
 
Over 250 legislators from NATO member states and partners will gather from 22 to 26 May in the Birthplace of Aviation to discuss the Assembly’s recommendations for The Hague Summit. 
 
“As we prepare to welcome the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to Dayton thirty years after the signing of the Peace Accords, we reaffirm our commitment to peace, stability, and democracy, not only in the Balkans, but across the world,” said Congressman Turner. “This Assembly is a powerful reminder that these values are not just remembered but actively upheld through our continued efforts to strengthen the transatlantic Alliance.”

“The Dayton Peace Accords brought an end to one of the most devastating conflicts on European soil since the Second World War. For over three decades, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly has remained committed to dialogue and cooperation at the parliamentary level to promote reconciliation, democratic consolidation and resilience, regional cooperation as well as Euro-Atlantic and European integration”, highlights President Perestrello.

Throughout the session, peace and security in the Western Balkans and the Alliance’s essential role in the region will therefore be in the spotlight, including with a draft report on Western Balkans: 30 Years Since Signing of the Dayton Accords. Over the course of the session, the Assembly members will engage with high-level officials and experts from the Western Balkans.

During Monday’s plenary sitting, the Assembly will discuss and pass a declaration on Taking NATO Deterrence and Defence to the Next Level at The Hague Summit, which will outline how to strengthen NATO’s military, technological and industrial edge, including through increased defence spending and fairer burden-sharing between Europe and North America.
 
The Allied lawmakers will also reaffirm their steadfast and united support to Ukraine as it stands up to Russia’s brutal, illegal and unacceptable war of aggression. 
 
“The NATO Parliamentary Assembly has stood with Ukraine from day one,” underlines President Perestrello. “We made clear, from the very beginning, that this war is not just about Ukraine. It will define the world we and our children live in. We will continue to mobilise political support and military assistance in our respective parliaments.” 
 
On Monday, the Assembly members are set to adopt a declaration on Peace Through Strength in Ukraine, expected to press for sustaining and increasing support for Ukraine to address immediate civilian and battlefield needs as well as to strengthen Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table. 
 
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister will address Monday’s plenary, and Yehor Cherniev, the Head of the Ukrainian Delegation, will present a draft report on Ukraine: A Resilient Democracy in War Time.
 
The members will also discuss, in the Assembly’s Committees, 16 draft reports that further flesh out recommendations for the Alliance.
 
They will also exchange with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte as well as U.S. and international government officials and top experts.
 
Other key topics on the agenda of the session include:

Parallel to the Spring Session, The Dayton Dialogue: Conversations about Peace & Security in the Balkans takes place as a public forum for the entire Dayton community to come together to discuss with high-level elected officials, security and policy experts as well as leaders from across the Alliance.
 
The Assembly, though institutionally separate from NATO, serves as an essential link between NATO and the parliaments of the NATO nations. It provides greater transparency of NATO policies and fosters better understanding of the Alliance’s objectives and missions among legislators and citizens of the Alliance. Throughout 2025, the Assembly celebrates 70 years of parliamentary diplomacy.
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