The United States has indicated that it does not support extending formal participation at the upcoming NATO summit to several non-member partner nations, including Ukraine, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan, according to diplomatic discussions ahead of the gathering.

The position reflects a preference within Washington for maintaining the summit’s focus on core alliance members and established strategic priorities.

Officials familiar with preparatory talks said the U.S. delegation conveyed reservations about broadening the format of the meeting, arguing that NATO’s principal mandate remains collective defence among its thirty-two members.

While NATO has increasingly engaged with Indo-Pacific partners and maintained a distinct relationship with Ukraine, the current U.S. stance suggests a recalibration of how such partnerships are reflected in high-level summit settings.

The move comes amid evolving debates within the alliance over enlargement, burden-sharing and the scope of NATO’s global partnerships.

In recent years, leaders from Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea have been invited to attend select NATO summits as part of an effort to strengthen cooperation on cyber security, defence technology and Indo-Pacific stability.

Ukraine, although not a member, has maintained a particularly close relationship with the alliance.

U.S. officials have stressed that cooperation with these countries remains valued and ongoing through established bilateral and multilateral channels.

However, they argue that summit-level participation should be carefully structured to preserve clarity of purpose and unity among member states.

Supporters of this approach contend that a more focused summit format enhances decision-making efficiency and reinforces NATO’s foundational mission.

Diplomatic consultations among allies are continuing as preparations for the summit advance.

Final decisions regarding participation and agenda structure are expected to be confirmed closer to the meeting date, as alliance members seek consensus on how best to balance NATO’s core responsibilities with its broader network of global partnerships.