North Korea condemns NATO summit; says denuclearisation should begin with U.S. allies
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- North Korea condemned the NATO summit on July 11, 2026, accusing the alliance of promoting military confrontation and destabilizing the Asia-Pacific region through expanded defense cooperation.
- NATO announced over $50 billion in new military procurement and industrial agreements during its July 7, 2026, summit in Turkiye, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for European members to increase defense spending.
- South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung expressed interest in expanding defense R&D and weapons production partnerships with NATO allies on the sidelines of the summit.
- North Korea’s Foreign Ministry stated that Western demands for its denuclearization are irreversibly terminated and instead called for denuclearization to begin with U.S. allies South Korea and Japan and NATO members in nuclear-sharing arrangements.
- North Korea announced measures to strengthen its nuclear forces 'quantitatively and qualitatively' as leader Kim Jong Un pushes for military modernization, according to KCNA on July 10, 2026.
Why it matters: North Korea is reframing denuclearization as a demand on U.S. allies and NATO, not just itself—shifting the diplomatic burden and signaling it will not return to unilateral disarmament talks. This hardening stance follows concrete steps to expand its own nuclear capabilities, raising stakes for regional security.
