Between Tuesday and Thursday, Madrid hosts the largest gathering of world leaders since the Ukraine conflict began. Thirty NATO member states will attend, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Turkey. Also invited are India and Pacific partners such as Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand; several non-aligned European nations like Ireland, Austria, Cyprus, Malta, and still Finland and Sweden; plus representatives from the European Commission and the Council of Europe. Additional invited nations include Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mauritania, and Jordan.
NATO will hold its summit at the IFEMA fairgrounds, a site that will be temporarily closed to the public and effectively governed by the Alliance during the meetings. The agenda has remained confidential for months, yet a broad outline has emerged.
The backbone of the event will be three Atlantic Council sessions chaired by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, with heads of state and government from thirty allied countries in attendance.
The discussions will focus on core security and defense issues for partners. Key questions include how to respond to Russia after four months of occupation in Ukraine, and how diplomacy and pressure might persuade Turkey to lift its veto on Sweden’s and Finland’s accession, or whether Ankara will participate in the initial days of the talks. Each participant will seek outcomes favorable to their own interests. If the southern Mediterranean challenges are consistently addressed, Spain would view the summit as a success.
Three official high-level meetings are planned, alongside numerous informal encounters at the periphery of the summit. Spain will also host a few bilateral engagements. According to NATO and Spanish government sources, the agenda unfolds as follows:
28 TUESDAY – SUMMIT AND PRE-OPENING BILATERALS
The day before the official start, Madrid will host bilateral talks involving Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez with global leaders, a gala dinner at the Royal Palace hosted by King Felipe VI, and the opening of the think tanks closely tied to NATO.
In the morning, Pedro Sánchez will host Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at La Moncloa. Spanish officials note this is Albanese’s first official visit to the country.
At 10:30, a bilateral meeting between Sánchez and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is scheduled.
In the afternoon, Sánchez and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will visit the summit facilities at IFEMA and address the media briefly, followed by a working lunch to map out the next day’s discussions.
Around the same time, Joe Biden will be welcomed at the Palacio de la Moncloa for a bilateral session with the Spanish authorities.
Later, Sánchez will meet with Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir at the Moncloa residence.
At 20:30, a gala dinner will bring together representatives from forty-four delegations at the Royal Palace, presided by King Felipe VI.
Later, a dinner for the foreign and defense ministers will take place at the Santa Cruz Palace. Spanish officials say the focus will be on the southern flank’s challenges to NATO, including migration as a political tool, energy leverage, jihadist threats, and Russia’s presence in the Sahel. Mauritania and Jordan will be invited to participate.
At 15:20, a NATO Public Forum will run in parallel with the summit. Think tanks will discuss geopolitical risk and NATO’s future, with Pedro Sánchez expected to attend the Wednesday session. Government sources indicate a Davos-like setup with panels and debates organized by the Elcano Royal Institute and other major think tanks such as the German Marshall Fund, the Munich Security Conference, and the Atlantic Council.
29 WEDNESDAY – FIRST DAY OF THE NATO SUMMIT
Leaders are expected to arrive around 8:15 a.m. with brief statements to the press, followed by a welcome ceremony before a family photo at 10:25 a.m.
10:30 FIRST NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL SESSION
This opening session will center on Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is expected to participate by videoconference, with Ukraine likely represented by Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
This meeting will begin discussions on the Madrid Strategic Concept, among several draft texts circulating within the alliance. The document, roughly fifteen pages, is slated for public release at the summit’s close. The session will run until about 1:30 p.m., after which there will be a lunch and bilateral talks.
At 1:45 p.m., Jens Stoltenberg will hold his first press conference of the summit, outlining initial negotiating positions. Separate press conferences are expected for each participating delegation.
15:00 SECOND NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL SESSION
In this session, Finland or Sweden could join only as partner nations unless progress allows a more formal status. Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina will attend, alongside invited Pacific partners such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea.
At 5:45 p.m., Stoltenberg will hold a second press conference, with subsequent briefings from delegations.
At 6:30 p.m., foreign ministers will meet informally, followed by a Euro-Atlantic dinner at the Prado Museum.
This dinner marks a historic moment as Spain brings together many leaders at the Prado, which will be temporarily closed to ensure security. The event will be hosted by Pedro Sánchez and will convene representatives from NATO members, allied European states, and key partners from the Europacific region. The dinner will be held in a formal setting within the museum, with attendees and guests.
30 THURSDAY – FINAL MEETING AND RESULTS
The program repeats with leaders arriving at 8:30 a.m. for brief remarks before the final discussions. An agreement is anticipated, including a new innovation fund designed to bolster technological advances and startups in European defense.
10:00 THIRD NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL SESSION
This final day focuses on the southern flank, reflecting Spain’s hosting role. The aim is to finalize language on risk management for Africa within the Strategic Concept.
At 12:15 p.m., Stoltenberg will hold the final press conference of the summit. Pedro Sánchez is also expected to speak to summarize the outcomes.
COMPANION PROGRAM LED BY QUEEN LETIZIA
In addition to the NATO summit activities, there is a companion program aimed at elevating Spain’s profile as a future NATO member. Queen Letizia will participate in events that showcase Spain as an open, modern, and sustainable country. The 29th includes a visit to Granja de San Ildefonso, the Royal Palace grounds, a glassware exhibition, and a tour of the Royal Glass Factory. A family photo in front of Picasso’s Guernica will precede a meal at a Paradores restaurant near the Reina Sofía Museum. The next day features a royal visit to the Royal Palace, a tasting of olive oil, and a tour of the Royal Theatre facilities, culminating with a rehearsal of an upcoming opera.