NATO will not hold a leaders' summit in Albania in 2027 as the alliance scales back its high-level meetings amid internal tensions over defence spending, Iran and the war in Ukraine.

Axar.az reports, citing the Associated Press, that Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said there was no common agreement on holding the summit next year, adding that Tirana could host it in 2028.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte played down the decision, saying the alliance would hold summits whenever necessary.

NATO is also reducing ministerial meetings, with only one foreign ministers' meeting scheduled for 2027 and no defence ministers' meeting planned for October next year.