Washington excludes several key allies from a meeting on the future of NATO

The Trump administration did not invite several key NATO allies to a meeting scheduled for November in Poland, Politico reports, citing diplomats familiar with the matter.

The gathering, spearheaded by the Pentagon’s policy chief, Elbridge Colby, is a working group focused on the future of NATO. However, some major defense contributors, including the United Kingdom, France, and the Baltic states, were left off the guest list.

There are concerns that the U.S. government is showing preferential treatment to certain countries, a move that could further fragment the Alliance. "We are doing everything asked of us," said an official from a country that did not receive an invitation. "We are trying to understand the criteria and the purpose of these meetings. So far, we haven't been told much," the official added.

 Colby has already held two similar meetings with representatives from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands. According to a diplomat, the countries participating in these gatherings, known as the Bergen Group format, maintain that they are not seeking to fracture the Alliance.

For his part, the Pentagon’s policy chief explained that Washington’s aim is to "engage the entire alliance," noting that this will result in "a better, stronger, and more resilient NATO," while also equipping Europe with greater military capability.