NATO

NATO

From July 7 to 8, heads of state and government will gather at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, where allies will seek to capitalize on the success of last year’s landmark defense spending pledge and begin converting cash into capabilities. Check out our commentary, analysis, and events covering the convening, courtesy of our experts.

TRACKING NATO SPENDING

Trackers and Data Visualizations

Jun 20, 2025

NATO defense spending tracker

By Kristen Taylor, Julia Salabert

The Transatlantic Security Initiative’s NATO defense spending tracker delves into data and figures to analyze current defense spending trends.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

FEATURED READING

Increasing defense spending isn’t enough. The US and its allies must also guarantee interoperability.

Dispatches Apr 20, 2026

Five ideas to make the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara a success

By Atlantic Council experts

While the upcoming summit is unlikely to produce anything as singularly significant as 2025’s “5 percent” pledge, there are important steps the Alliance should take.
Europe & Eurasia NATO
Increasing defense spending isn’t enough. The US and its allies must also guarantee interoperability.

Dispatches Apr 10, 2026

Dispatch from Vilnius: Warfare is evolving rapidly. Here’s how NATO can keep up.

By David Julazadeh, Julia Salabert

The most important change is that the cost barrier to generating strategic effects has dropped dramatically.
Defense Industry Europe & Eurasia
Increasing defense spending isn’t enough. The US and its allies must also guarantee interoperability.

Dispatches Jan 21, 2026

To adapt to today’s security threats, NATO should prioritize the basics of defense innovation

By Julia Salabert, Kristen Taylor

Transatlantic allies must focus on accelerating defense innovation while strengthening their defense industrial bases.
Defense Industry Defense Policy
Increasing defense spending isn’t enough. The US and its allies must also guarantee interoperability.

New Atlanticist Jun 27, 2025

Four fundamental questions the NATO Summit did not answer

By Torrey Taussig

Over the coming months, NATO allies will have to wrestle with questions about the US commitment to Europe, their shared approach to China, and more.
Conflict Defense Industry
Increasing defense spending isn’t enough. The US and its allies must also guarantee interoperability.

Inflection Points Jun 26, 2025

Dispatch from The Hague: It’s been Trump’s week in Europe and Iran

By Frederick Kempe

What connects the recent events in Iran and at the NATO Summit is that they won’t be remembered for the threats countered but rather for the opportunities seized.
Europe & Eurasia Iran
Increasing defense spending isn’t enough. The US and its allies must also guarantee interoperability.

Fast Thinking Jun 25, 2025

Trump warmed to NATO at The Hague. But what about Ukraine?

By Atlantic Council

Allies reiterated their commitment to collective defense. But absent from the communiqué was any mention of how Russia’s war against Ukraine should end.
Europe & Eurasia NATO

FEATURED EVENTS

Public Event Tue, April 28, 2026 • 10:15 am ET

Belgium’s defense minister on the future of transatlantic security relations

Minister of Defense of Belgium Theo Francken shares his views on transatlantic security developments and Belgium’s role in Europe’s growing defense industry.
Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia NATO Politics & Diplomacy
Public Event Fri, April 17, 2026 • 11:45 am ET

The British ambassador to the US on Euro-Atlantic security and the Middle East

British Ambassador to the United States Sir Christian Turner joins the Atlantic Council to discuss the UK’s ongoing diplomatic efforts in the Middle East and its vision for the future of Euro-Atlantic security cooperation.
Europe & Eurasia Iran Middle East NATO
Online Event Tue, April 7, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

US-Turkish defense relations and the upcoming NATO Summit

A discussion on the new era for the bilateral US-Turkish defense relationship and the significance of the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara.
Defense Industry Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia Geopolitics & Energy Security

TUNE IN

Programs and initiatives

The Transatlantic Security Initiative, in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, shapes and influences the debate on the greatest security challenges facing the North Atlantic Alliance and its key partners.

Learn more

Within the Atlantic Council’s longstanding commitment to strengthening the transatlantic relationship, the Atlantic Council Turkey Program conducts research, provides thought leadership, and offers a platform for strategic dialogue between the US, Turkey, and NATO allies to address the region’s toughest challenges and explore opportunities, including in the fields of energy, business & trade, technology, defense, and security.

Learn more

Content

Dispatches

Jun 10, 2026

Increasing defense spending isn’t enough. The US and its allies must also guarantee interoperability.

By Joshua VerGow and Barry Pavel

Rising defense spending is creating a generational opportunity. But allied interoperability should be built into these new systems from the start.

Europe & Eurasia NATO
Cover Credit: NATO. German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons fly over a remote stretch of Iceland while training with the Swedish Air Force as part of NATO’s Arctic Sentry activity. Arctic Sentry is a NATO vigilance activity aimed at enhancing security in the north, helping to make the Alliance safer. As part of this initiative, Sweden deployed a detachment of six Gripens to Keflavik Air Base to safeguard Icelandic airspace against threats or intrusions. Their deployment is also part of NATO’s Iceland Air Policing mission, marking the first time Sweden has led an air policing mission since joining NATO two years ago as its 32nd member. During their deployment, fighters from the Royal Danish Air Force and the German Air Force joined them for integration training. Situated in the middle of the North Atlantic, Iceland plays a vital role in helping Allies maintain situational awareness in the High North. Photo courtesy of the German Air Force.

Report

Jun 10, 2026

The future of NATO’s deterrence in the air domain

By Edward Brady

European NATO member states need to prepare to deter, and if necessary, defeat Russia—with less US support. When it comes to airpower, here are the actions European states need to take in the short, medium, and long term. 

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Dispatches

Jun 9, 2026

NATO allies need a plan for addressing threats below the threshold of war

By Elisabeth Braw

NATO can gather allies to share best practices and also coordinate responses, even if the Alliance does not respond to subthreshold attacks itself.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Issue Brief

May 29, 2026

Can the EU’s mutual-defense clause replace NATO’s Article 5?

By James Batchik and Katherine Johnson

The European Union's mutual-defense clause, less well-known than NATO's commitment under Article 5 that an attack on one is an attack on all, is receiving new attention in light of questions over the US security commitment to Europe.

European Union NATO

Dispatches

May 22, 2026

Washington’s latest force posture moves have Europeans feeling whiplash

By Daniel Fried, Torrey Taussig

The announcement on sending US troops to Poland didn't stop Washington's other force posture decisions from generating concern among NATO allies.

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia

Dispatches

May 19, 2026

Dispatch from Bucharest: NATO’s center of gravity is shifting eastward

By Alex Șerban, Dorian Obreajan

A recent summit shows that Eastern and Northern European allies are increasingly shaping the Alliance’s strategic agenda on defense and resilience.

Eastern Europe NATO

UkraineAlert

May 19, 2026

Ukraine’s experience can teach Europe how to defend against Russia

By Valeriya Ionan, Nicolas Dunais

Ukraine's wartime transformation should inform European defense modernization in both technology and doctrine. Europe must now choose: Seize the opportunity to adapt or procrastinate and risk future defeat, write Valeriya Ionan and Nicolas Dunais.

Conflict Defense Industry

Dispatches

May 15, 2026

The UK faces a dilemma over potential troop deployments to Ukraine. France can help.

By Julia Salabert, Jason C. Moyer

France is currently punching below its weight in the Baltic area and could shoulder more of the burden.

France NATO

UkraineAlert

May 14, 2026

Bulgaria is unlikely to become Putin’s new proxy within the European Union

By Kristian Kafozov

Newly elected Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev is unlikely to replace recently ousted Hungarian leader Viktor Orban as Vladimir Putin's proxy within the EU and NATO, writes Kristian Kafozov.

Conflict Defense Policy

In the News

May 8, 2026

Kroenig quoted in Semafor on Trump and NATO

On May 8, Atlantic Council vice president and Scowcroft Center senior director Matthew Kroenig was quoted in Semafor on President Trump's view of NATO.

Europe & Eurasia NATO
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Experts

Fellow

Anca Agachi

Nonresident Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Africa Conflict

Staff

Nika Aleksejeva

Resident Fellow, Baltics

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Belarus Disinformation

Millennium fellow

Kirk Allen

Digital Communications Lead, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

Millennium Leadership Program

Middle East NATO Partnerships

Fellow

Lukas Andriukaitis

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Eastern Europe

Fellow

Ryan Arick

Nonresident Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

NATO Security & Defense

Fellow

Lisa Aronsson

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia NATO
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Events

Public Event Wed, June 17, 2026 • 3:30 pm ET

Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis on the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara

AN AC FRONT PAGE EVENT—The Atlantic Council is hosting Senators Shaheen and Tillis for a conversation on the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara.
Europe & Eurasia NATO Security & Defense