NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg described the upcoming summit as a "pivotal moment" that aims to move past the tense years under former President Donald Trump, who criticized the alliance as "obsolete." The 30 allies gathering in Brussels reject this notion, emphasizing the importance of the alliance in addressing various threats, from extreme weather to Russian interference in Western democracies. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson highlighted the need for NATO to adapt and evolve to meet new challenges and confront emerging threats. Discussions at the summit are expected to focus on Russia's efforts to divide the West, ahead of a meeting between Biden and Putin in Geneva. Despite modernizing its defenses since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO remains susceptible to cyber attacks and disinformation, although Moscow denies any involvement in destabilizing NATO allies. According to a paper released by the European Leadership Network (ELN) research group, cyber threats can arise at any time during a crisis and lead to misunderstandings and unintended signals that may result in war. Diplomats emphasize the importance of President Biden reaffirming the United States' commitment to NATO's collective defense following the confrontational rhetoric of the Trump administration. The increasing military and economic presence of China in the Atlantic, as well as joint military exercises with Russia, will likely provoke a strong reaction from world leaders. Additionally, there is an expectation for a commitment to making NATO militaries carbon-neutral by 2050. The leaders of the G7 countries have agreed to increase their contributions in order to fulfill a commitment to provide $100 billion annually to assist developing nations in reducing carbon emissions and addressing the impacts of climate change.