LOOK BACK ON THE WASHINGTON SUMMIT

Atlantic Council at the NATO Summit in Washington

Live commentary, authoritative analysis, and high-level events covering NATO’s Washington summit, courtesy of our experts.

Essays on the Alliance’s future

NATO’s seventy-fifth anniversary is a milestone in a remarkable story of reinvention, adaptation, and unity. However, as the Alliance seeks to secure its future for the next seventy-five years, it faces revanchist old rivals, escalating strategic competition, and uncertainties over the future of the rules-based international order. 

With partners and allies turning attention from celebrations to challenges, the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative invited contributors to engage with the most pressing concerns ahead of the historic Washington summit and chart a path for the Alliance’s future. This series features seven essays focused on concrete issues that NATO must address at the Washington summit and five essays that examine longer-term challenges the Alliance must confront to ensure transatlantic security. 

Related program

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.

Content

New Atlanticist

Feb 12, 2025

What to make of the unfolding Trump strategy on Ukraine

By Daniel Fried

Trump's call with Putin and his secretary of defense's comments with NATO counterparts stirred controversy. But the unfolding strategy could be the basis for a decent outcome for Ukraine.

Defense Policy NATO

New Atlanticist

Feb 4, 2025

The next German chancellor must lead from the front, not the middle, on European security

By Rachel Rizzo, James Batchik

From support for Ukraine to defense spending, German leaders would be wise to take the phrase Führung aus der Mitte permanently out of their vocabulary.

Elections Germany

TURKEYSource

Jan 24, 2025

There’s a path forward for Turkey-Greece cooperation—but it requires a dose of realism

By Harry Tzimitras

For a successful Turkey-Greece partnership, both sides need to actively seize the opportunities of cooperation.

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

Jan 23, 2025

NATO chief: Cost of Russian victory in Ukraine would be ‘trillions not billions’

By Peter Dickinson

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has warned NATO leaders that a Russian victory in Ukraine would cost alliance members "trillions not billions," writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Industry

In the News

Jan 22, 2025

Michta in 19FortyFive on why abandoning Europe would be a strategic mistake

On January 10, Andrew Michta, senior fellow in the GeoStrategy Initiative, was published in 19FortyFive on why abandoning Europe would be a strategic mistake for the United States. He argues that US geostrategic and national security interests are entangled with that of Europe’s and to allow allies in Europe to be “pulled into China’s orbit” […]

Europe & Eurasia National Security

In the News

Jan 16, 2025

Wieslander interviewed by Svenska Dagbladet

On Thursday, January 16, Anna Wieslander, director for Northern Europe, was interviewed by Svenska Dagbladet, proposing a Nordic Shield for air and missile defense to secure Northern Europe. Wieslander argued that the heightened security situation can be seen as “an opportunity” and now wants to see even closer cooperation between the countries in the Nordic […]

NATO Northern Europe

UkraineAlert

Jan 7, 2025

Putin’s peace plan is actually a call for Ukraine’s capitulation

By Serhii Kuzan

Donald Trump has vowed to end Russia's war in Ukraine, but Vladimir Putin's proposed peace terms leave little room for doubt that the Kremlin dictator remains intent on erasing Ukrainian statehood entirely, writes Serhii Kuzan.

Conflict Disinformation

In the News

Jan 3, 2025

Michta in 19FortyFive and RealClearDefense on connecting NATO funding and capabilities

On December 23, Andrew Michta, director and senior fellow of the GeoStrategy Initiative, published an article in 19FortyFive on connecting NATO funding and capabilities. He underlines that, while many NATO allies have increased their defense spending since 2014, the geopolitical threats facing the Alliance mean greater funding and forces are necessary. The piece was featured […]

Conflict Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

Jan 2, 2025

Lithuania prioritizes defense spending amid growing Russian threat

By Agnia Grigas

Lithuania's new government is planning to increase defense spending as the Baltic nation faces up to the growing threat posed by Putin's Russia amid uncertainty over the US role in European security, writes Agnia Grigas.

Conflict Defense Industry

New Atlanticist

Dec 18, 2024

Beyond NATO’s 2 percent threshold: How can Italy meet the challenge?

By Gabriele Natalizia and Matteo Mazziotti di Celso

For the past decade, Rome has leaned more on deploying its troops abroad to contribute to the Alliance than on increasing its overall defense spending. That needs to change.

Italy NATO

Experts