Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, will address NATO’s Heads of State and Government at their upcoming Summit meeting in Washington, DC on July 9-11, 2024.
The Assembly’s President is traditionally invited to address NATO Summits to present the views of Allied legislators on the key issues affecting the Alliance. Connolly previously addressed the NATO Summit in June, 2022. This year’s Summit is expected to focus on support for Ukraine and NATO’s strengthened deterrence and defense and will mark the Alliance’s 75th anniversary.
“As NATO commemorates its 75th anniversary, Allied leaders must recognize that the next front for NATO evolution will be in the battle between democracy and authoritarianism,” Connolly said. “We must respond to this existential threat. As parliamentarians, as guardians of democracy. But also as members of NATO. After 75 years, NATO needs concrete architecture, at its Headquarters, dedicated to the propoundment and defense of democracy.”
The Assembly has consistently recommended – in 14 resolutions and numerous reports – the establishment of a Center for Democratic Resilience within NATO Headquarters to operationalize the Alliance’s recommitment to democratic values in the 2022 Strategic Concept and serve as a resource and clearinghouse on democratic benchmarks for NATO members, partners, and aspirants.
On the eve of the Summit, the United States delegation to the NATO PA will host a Parliamentary Summit bringing together parliamentary leaders from the 32 NATO members as well as Ukraine, including 23 Speakers of Parliament. This high-level gathering will showcase the importance of the parliamentary dimension of the Alliance and highlight Allied Parliaments’ views on the key priorities for the Alliance.
Earlier this spring, the Assembly adopted its recommendations for the Washington Summit. In their contribution, Allied legislators urged the Alliance to affirm it will stand with Ukraine until victory and beyond, resource plans to strengthen NATO deterrence and defense, as well as step up the Alliance’s role in defending shared democratic values.
Connolly and Congressman Mike Turner (R-OH), the head of the US Delegation to the NATO PA, authored an OpEd on NATO's role in defending democracy.
Connolly is the US Representative for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District. He joined the NATO PA in 2013 and served as President from 2020 to 2022 and as Acting President since June 2024.
