Nato at 75: A muted celebration for an alliance facing uncertain times

There looks set to be low expectations when the military alliance marks its 75th anniversary in Washington DC this week

This week's Nato summit in Washington will be the last for the alliance’s long-serving secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg. File picture: Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP

Nato leaders will have much to celebrate when they gather in Washington for the alliance’s 75th anniversary this week. 

Sweden will be welcomed to its first summit as a Nato ally. The leaders will also note progress on defence budgets — in 2024, 23 of the 32 allies will meet Nato’s target of spending 2% of their GDP on defence.