The NATO summit kicked off in The Hague on Tuesday. The most important talks will take place on Wednesday, when the 32 heads of state and government of the member states will meet in the North Atlantic Council, NATO's main governing body. The agenda for Tuesday is already full. Follow everything live on our NATO blog.

Tuesday June 24

In his opening speech, Secretary General Mark Rutte stressed that NATO must rearm to protect itself from Russia. He sees that country as the biggest threat to the alliance. “If we want to prevent war, we have to spend more. We need ammunition, ammunition, ammunition. By being strong, we get peace.”

Rutte also stressed that the United States is “fully committed to NATO.” He added, however, that all European countries and Canada should spend more money on defense.

The secretary-general also answered some questions about Ukraine. “We must do everything to ensure that they can continue the war,” he said. “We must ensure that Putin can never conquer land again.”

• 11.30 am: meeting between outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Schoof and Zelensky

Outside of the NATO summit, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met at the Prime Minister's official residence. The Dutch Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs were also present. Prime Minister Schoof reiterated his support for Ukraine and the 175 million euro aid package that the Netherlands announced earlier on Tuesday was discussed.

Zelensky will also address the Dutch House of Representatives around 4 p.m. The Ukrainian president will only play a minor role during this NATO summit. At previous summits since the Russian invasion, Zelensky also spoke in meetings with government leaders, but US President Donald Trump does not want a prominent role for him.

• 1:30 p.m.: Defense Industry Forum plenary session

Tuesday is an important day for the European Ministers of Defence. They will meet with experts from the defence industry to discuss how NATO can better cooperate with defence companies. The consultation must also determine what is already on the market and what still needs to be invested in.

• 2.30 pm: meeting between Rutte, EU leaders and Zelensky

• 7 p.m.: Government leaders dine with the Dutch royal couple

The day will end with a dinner at Huis ten Bosch, the Dutch royal couple's residential palace. All government leaders will be present at the dinner, including Trump and Zelensky. The American president will also spend the night at the palace.

The Dutch public broadcaster NOS has already announced that the dinner will take place in the Oranjezaal, a richly decorated seventeenth-century ballroom full of peace symbols.

At about the same time as the palace dinner, a meeting on Ukraine will begin in the World Forum, with NATO foreign ministers and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The defense ministers will also hold a working dinner.

Wednesday June 25

• 8 hours: statement from Rutte

• 8.30 am: Statement by heads of government and heads of state of NATO countries

• 10am: Formal welcome ceremony and official group photo

• 10.30 am: North Atlantic Council meeting

The meeting of the North Atlantic Council will be the most important moment of this NATO summit. The member states will most likely agree to increase defense spending per country to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). According to NATO boss Rutte, there is broad support for this within the alliance.

However, Spain has already registered opposition to the 5 percent norm. In our country, too, the party leaders of the governing parties CD&V, Vooruit, MR and Les Engagés have already cautiously put on the brakes.

• 3:30 PM: Meeting between Rutte, Zelensky, and France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom