NATO leaders issued a joint final communiqué yesterday, affirming their “solidarity and unity” despite divisions over spending and strategy that preceded their summit. “In order to maintain security, we must look to the future together,” the statement acknowledged. China's influence has risen, promising "stronger action."

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the summit touched on the challenges China poses. "We are encouraging China to sign agreements with us," he said.

"We have plans to protect all members, including the Baltic states," he told a news conference, adding that "Canada and non-European countries have agreed to increase spending in the alliance." Only secure networks. On the differences among NATO members, Stoltenberg said: "It is not new, and our strength lies in our ability to overcome them," stressing the importance of strengthening the political dimension of NATO.

Regarding Russia, Stoltenberg explained: "NATO always favors dialogue with Russia, and we must avoid an arms race with it because it would be expensive and dangerous."

The leaders held preliminary bilateral meetings in London on Tuesday, where stark differences were exposed when US President Donald Trump, who himself described the alliance as "outdated", criticized his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for his comments last month about "clinical death." »Alliance.

Macron clung to his position, saying in a tweet on Twitter late on Tuesday that it was important for leaders to discuss issues openly and openly if they wanted to find solutions.

"My remarks about NATO have provoked some reactions," Macron said. I adhere to them (statements). "This is a burden we share."

One of Macron's main complaints is that Turkey, a member of the alliance since 1952 and a crucial ally in the Middle East, acted increasingly independently, when it penetrated Syria, and took up arms against the Syrian Kurdish YPG that was allied with Western forces against ISIS. ISIS, as well as Ankara's purchase of the S-400 missile defense system from Russia.

On Thursday, Trump described the allies who spend too little as "underachievers." The president has repeatedly accused Washington's allies of enjoying the protection of the US superpower without taking their share of the burden of collective security.

• NATO prefers dialogue with Russia and avoids an arms race with Russia.