Pentagon excludes UK, France and Baltics from Poland NATO future meeting

The Pentagon excluded key NATO allies, including the United Kingdom, France and the Baltic states, from a meeting in Poland this month focused on the alliance’s future, according to six diplomats familiar with the plans. The gathering, led by Elbridge Colby, head of the Pentagon’s policy office, follows earlier threats from Washington to compile a “list of good and bad” countries, Politico reported .

The meeting is part of the so-called Bergen Group, a working format launched by Colby in June in Bergen, Norway, with six invited allies: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Germany and the Netherlands. A diplomat from one of the invited countries said the group aims to develop proposals for all NATO members, though some allies have expressed concern over the exclusion of major contributors. “We’re doing everything that is being asked of us. We’re trying to understand what the criteria is and what the purpose of these meetings are,” a representative of an uninvited country said .

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda downplayed the exclusion, calling concerns “artificial hype” and noting that Lithuania could join the format if it expands. He emphasized strong U.S.-Lithuania relations, citing a recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump .

The Pentagon and White House declined to comment. Colby has previously advocated for narrower negotiations among NATO members, and the U.S. may next invite Denmark following a defense agreement over Greenland .