NATO's high-stakes summit in Washington focuses on Ukraine and upcoming U.S. election

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is gearing up for a crucial three-day summit in Washington this week, with the spotlight on Ukraine and the impact of elections on the alliance's stability.The alliance plans to double down on its commitment to Ukraine for at least another year, stopping short of deploying NATO troops and extending membership to the country before the war ends.NATO's Secretary General says the alliance's 32 member countries have spent about $43 billion per year since the war began. That number, he says, should be considered a 'minimum baseline' going forward."The future relationship of Ukraine with NATO is still the main conundrum that needs sorting out and the question of whether Ukraine will be offered full membership to NATO," Brookings Institute's Foreign Policy Fellow Tara Varma said.The summit takes place in the wake of elections across Europe, signaling possible significant shifts for NATO. Leaders are also watching November's presidential election. Former President Donald Trump reportedly threatened to withdraw the U.S. from NATO and encouraged Russia to 'do whatever the hell they want' to countries that don't meet spending guidelines."Our adversaries will be looking both at the summit and the presidential election as key moments in terms of how they advance their strategic interests forward," Varma added.The summit also presents an opportunity for President Biden to revive his re-election campaign on the global stage, following his shaky debate performance that led to a slight dip in some polls.The Biden Administration announced the U.S. would contribute $2.3 billion of aid to Ukraine last week.