NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg described the upcoming summit as a significant moment aimed at moving past the tensions of the previous four years under Donald Trump's presidency. Despite Trump's criticism of the alliance, diplomats emphasize the importance of NATO in addressing various threats, from climate change to Russian interference in democracies. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stressed the need for NATO to adapt and evolve to confront new challenges and emerging threats, underscoring the alliance's role in ensuring the safety of billions of people. Discussions at the summit are expected to focus on Russia's efforts to sow division within the West, as well as NATO's ongoing efforts to strengthen its defenses against cyber attacks and disinformation. The European Leadership Network (ELN) research group stated in a paper released for the summit that cyber threats can arise at any time during a crisis and lead to misunderstandings and unintended signals that may lead to war. Diplomats emphasize the importance of President Biden reaffirming the United States' commitment to NATO's collective defense following the confrontational stance taken by Trump towards allies at NATO summits from 2017 to 2019, which created a sense of crisis. Leaders are also expected to address China's increasing military and economic presence in the Atlantic, as well as joint military exercises with Russia, with a strong response. Additionally, a commitment to achieving carbon neutrality for NATO militaries by 2050 is anticipated. The leaders of the G7 countries came to an agreement on Sunday to increase their financial commitments in order to meet a pledge of $100 billion annually from wealthy nations to assist developing countries in reducing carbon emissions and dealing with the effects of climate change.