TRACKING NATO SPENDING

Trackers and Data Visualizations

Jun 20, 2025

NATO Defense Spending Tracker

By Kristen Taylor

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

Any peace deal that empowers Russia is a direct security threat to Turkey

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
Any peace deal that empowers Russia is a direct security threat to Turkey

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
Any peace deal that empowers Russia is a direct security threat to Turkey

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
Any peace deal that empowers Russia is a direct security threat to Turkey

New Atlanticist Jun 25, 2025

Experts react: NATO allies agreed to a 5 percent defense spending target in a low-drama summit. Now what?

By Atlantic Council experts

The Alliance summit was notable for what was said and done, especially about defense spending—but also for what was left off the agenda.
Europe & Eurasia NATO
Any peace deal that empowers Russia is a direct security threat to Turkey

Inflection Points Jun 24, 2025

Dispatch from The Hague: How Trump can build on his Middle East success with NATO

By Frederick Kempe

As the Alliance summit begins, the US president can already justifiably trumpet three major achievements in the Middle East. Will he add one more in Europe?
Conflict Europe & Eurasia
Any peace deal that empowers Russia is a direct security threat to Turkey

New Atlanticist Jun 23, 2025

Expect NATO’s new spending pledge to be overshadowed by weakening US commitment and inaction on Ukraine

By Ian Brzezinski, Ryan Arick

The Hague summit will ultimately be defined by what the US president communicates about his commitment to transatlantic security and what NATO allies do to support Ukraine.
Defense Policy NATO
Any peace deal that empowers Russia is a direct security threat to Turkey

New Atlanticist Jun 20, 2025

What counts as ‘defense’ in NATO’s potential 5 percent spending goal?

By John R. Deni, Ryan Arick

The Alliance must ensure that “defense related” items truly contribute to collective defense as it plans its new, larger spending goal.
Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia
Any peace deal that empowers Russia is a direct security threat to Turkey

Issue Brief Jun 5, 2025

Immediate steps that Europe can take to enhance its role in NATO defense

By Franklin D. Kramer, Kristen Taylor

As NATO members gather in the Hague amid uncertainty about US commitment to the continent and concerns about Russia’s military rebuilding, what can European nations do to deter and, if necessary, defeat threats from Moscow?
Europe & Eurasia NATO
Any peace deal that empowers Russia is a direct security threat to Turkey

New Atlanticist Jun 5, 2025

What explains the transatlantic rift? It’s all about threat perception.

By Jason Davidson

NATO allies’ differing threat perceptions provide the backdrop for what could be a contentious summit in The Hague this month.
Defense Industry Defense Policy

FEATURED EVENTS

Online Event Thu, July 3, 2025 • 4:00 am ET

Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Europe’s security after the NATO Summit

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Finnish President Alexander Stubb shares his conclusions from the NATO Summit in The Hague and how Europe must adapt its approach to security.

Conflict Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia European Union
Online Event Fri, June 20, 2025 • 4:00 pm ET

Sweden’s foreign minister on the 2025 NATO Summit agenda

Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard joins the Atlantic Council to discuss the NATO Summit and the future of transatlantic relations.
Europe & Eurasia NATO Northern Europe Politics & Diplomacy
Online Event Tue, June 10, 2025 • 12:00 pm ET

Senator Jeanne Shaheen on Russia’s war and The Hague summit

Shaheen joins Punchbowl News’ Andrew Desiderio for a conversation on the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague and US policy on Russia and Ukraine.
Conflict International Organizations NATO
Public Event Wed, May 14, 2025 • 9:30 am ET

Navigating a new era of NATO

A discussion on navigating a new era of NATO in today’s shifting geopolitical environment.
Europe & Eurasia NATO Security & Defense United States and Canada

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

Content

TURKEYSource

Dec 2, 2025

Any peace deal that empowers Russia is a direct security threat to Turkey

By Yevgeniya Gaber

As US talks with Russia and Ukraine intensify, Turkey must reassert regional leadership and help secure a sustainable peace in Ukraine and in the Black Sea.

Conflict
Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

Dec 1, 2025

Why Spain is not meeting NATO spending targets

By Jacobo Ramos Folch

Spain’s reluctance to increase spending on its military risks undermining its international credibility and Europe’s collective defense.

Defense Policy
Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

Nov 26, 2025

What prolonged Russian aggression against Europe could mean for the Balkans

By Agon Maliqi

The prospect of a prolonged, wider European war in the coming years is reshaping strategic calculations throughout the Balkans.

Conflict
Crisis Management
NATO announced Baltic Sentry 2025, a multi-domain vigilance activity aimed at increasing maritime situational awareness in the Baltic Sea area, to deter and defend against attacks on Critical Undersea Infrastructures (CUI).

Issue Brief

Nov 26, 2025

How the Baltic Sea nations have tackled suspicious cable cuts

By Elisabeth Braw

Two places in the world's oceans see a lot of suspicious maritime behavior: the Baltic Sea, and the waters around Taiwan. Elisabeth Braw reports from the NATO task force charged with protecting the undersea cables and pipelines essential to daily life in Europe, with lessons for Baltic states and Taiwan, too.

Europe & Eurasia
Maritime Security

In the News

Nov 26, 2025

Michta interviewed in Defense24 on Ukraine peace plan

On November 26, Andrew Michta, nonresident senior fellow with the GeoStrategy Initiative in the Scowcroft Center, was interviewed for an article in “Defense24”. He argues that as proposed, the deal could reward Russia and prove costly for Ukraine.

Conflict
NATO

Fast Thinking

Nov 21, 2025

The good, the bad, and the ugly in the US peace plan for Ukraine 

By Atlantic Council

Our experts assess the Trump administration’s proposal for ending the war in Ukraine and what to expect next.

Conflict
Europe & Eurasia

Events

Nov 21, 2025

Atlantic Council Regional Conference on Energy and Infrastructure

The region’s premier biennial forum shaping the future of energy, infrastructure, and strategic cooperation.

Africa
Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Nov 20, 2025

Russia’s shadow war: How the Kremlin uses sabotage to wear down Europe

By Piotr Arak

Moscow’s goal is not just to damage infrastructure but also to sow distrust inside Western societies.

Europe & Eurasia
NATO

Issue Brief

Nov 19, 2025

Why Ankara’s rising power in the Sahel could benefit the West

By Alp Ozen, Haley Nelson

Turkey offers a rare channel in the Sahel that the West could use to recalibrate its approach to the region.

Africa
Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Nov 19, 2025

Dispatch from Warsaw: How to respond as Putin ratchets up the pressure

By Daniel Fried

A suspected act of sabotage on a Polish railway line has highlighted the need for NATO countries to respond to Russian aggression.

Central Europe
Crisis Management
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Experts

Fellow

Andrea Rigoni

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Fellow

Joanna Siekiera

Nonresident Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Rule of Law Polish

Advisory Council member

Clifford Sobel

Former United States Ambassador to Brazil

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Brazil Economy & Business

Fellow

Jason C. Moyer

Nonresident Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Fellow

Lisa C. Sawyer

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Economy & Business

Expert

Gabrielius Landsbergis

Distinguished Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Lithuanian
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Events

Public Event Thu, December 4, 2025 • 2:00 pm ET

General Aurelio Colagrande on preparing NATO for the challenges of tomorrow
Defense Policy National Security NATO United States and Canada