1Introduction
1.It has been four years since a previous Defence Committee produced a report in advance of a NATO summit. With another such event looming, it is timely to examine both the UK’s contribution to NATO and the UK’s relationship with the United States—its closest military ally and the security guarantor of NATO. We are therefore producing this Report in advance of the 2018 NATO summit in Brussels on 11 and 12 July.
2.Our predecessors started this inquiry in January 2017, with a particular emphasis on whether Europe is defensible without the US contribution. Three evidence sessions were held before the General Election cut it short. We re-opened the inquiry in the new Parliament, after an undue delay in setting up the new Select Committee, and we have held a further four evidence sessions. We thank all of our witnesses, as well as those who took part in private meetings with us, both at home and in the United States, to discuss the themes of the inquiry.
3.We wish to thank the British Defence Staff in Washington D.C., who set up a very informative programme of meetings, and the Atlantic Council who kindly hosted our evidence session during our visit to the US. We are also grateful to Professor Michael Clarke and Francis Tusa who acted as Specialist Advisers to the inquiry.
Published: 26 June 2018