NATO Archives

Marking one year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Mar 6, 2023

How Putin’s fear of democracy convinced him to invade Ukraine

By Michael John Williams

Putin’s decision to launch the full-scale invasion of Ukraine was rooted in his longstanding fear that the emergence of a democratic Ukraine could serve as a catalyst for the collapse of his own autocratic regime.

Civil Society Conflict

New Atlanticist

Feb 24, 2023

Experts react: How a year of war in Europe remade NATO, and what comes next

By Atlantic Council experts

The war has undeniably re-invigorated NATO. But just how much has changed? Our experts weigh in on the state of the Alliance and where allies should go from here.

Conflict Crisis Management

New Atlanticist

Feb 22, 2023

Russia policy after the war: A new strategy of containment

By Alexander Vershbow

To prevent further damage to the rules-based international order, the United States and its allies will need a strategy of containment to deter Russia militarily and decouple Russia from the international community, until Moscow has earned the right to be considered a partner once more.

Arms Control Defense Policy

Trackers and Data Visualizations

May 17, 2022

NATO Forward Forces Tracker

By Transatlantic Security Initiative

In the lead-up to and following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States and NATO allies have taken numerous steps to bolster allied force posture in Eastern Europe. The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s Transatlantic Security Initiative has been tracking it all. Check out its interactive table and charts to visualize the changes over time.

Ukraine

NATO Expansion

New Atlanticist

Sep 30, 2022

Zelenskyy is pushing for fast-track NATO membership. Does Ukraine have a fighting chance to join the club?

By Atlantic Council experts

Experts from our Transatlantic Security Initiative break down NATO’s response to the Ukrainian president’s surprise move.

Conflict NATO

New Atlanticist

Aug 8, 2022

When will Sweden and Finland join NATO? Tracking the ratification process across the Alliance.

By Atlantic Council experts

With this tracker, the Atlantic Council team is keeping tabs on the countries that have ratified the amended NATO treaty—and handicapping the political prospects for ratification in the rest.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Hungary has approved Finland joining NATO. But its delays raise deeper concerns.

New Atlanticist Feb 7, 2023

What would happen if Sweden and Finland split up their NATO bids?

By Eric Adamson and Minna Ålander

Finland proceeding without Sweden should be a last resort because of all the strategic and logistical difficulties it would create.

Conflict Europe & Eurasia

Issue Brief Aug 22, 2022

Sweden and Finland are on their way to NATO membership. Here’s what needs to happen next.

By John R. Deni

In response to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden took the historic step of applying to join NATO. Both nations will bring modern capabilities that will help defend against malign actors. As Finland and Sweden’s membership is forthcoming, Alliance leaders, NATO watchers, and transatlantic security experts need to consider how to fully integrate the new allies, include them in operational plans, and best enhance defense of a longer border with Russia.

Europe & Eurasia National Security

New Atlanticist May 20, 2022

For Finland, the Cold War never ended. That’s why it’s ready for NATO.

By Paul R.S. Gebhard

For decades, Finland has persevered on its own—and now NATO has the opportunity to benefit from that.

Defense Policy NATO

New Atlanticist May 18, 2022

Sweden would strengthen NATO with fresh thinking and an able force

By John R. Deni

Sweden’s unique characteristics could make it a serious security provider—not merely a security consumer—in the heart of Northern Europe.

Crisis Management Defense Policy

New Atlanticist Jul 22, 2022

Now for the hard part: A guide to implementing NATO’s new Strategic Concept

NATO should be proud of its recent accomplishments—but now it needs to follow through.

Scorecard Jul 7, 2022

Scowcroft Strategy Scorecard: NATO’s Strategic Concept clear on threats, but will require sustained commitment from Alliance

By Atlantic Council

Several of the Scowcroft Center’s strategy experts analyzed the Alliance’s new Strategic Concept, assessing the strategy based on five criteria. The reviewers generally agreed that the document was clear-sighted about threats facing the Alliance. However, implementing the ambitious strategy will require sustained commitment and high investment from Alliance members. Here are the full assessments.

Europe & Eurasia International Organizations

New Atlanticist Jul 1, 2022

Summit speed read: How the G7 and NATO pushed back on Putin

By Daniel Fried

The free world’s leading institutions did a lot this week—but the war still hangs in the balance. Here’s what was agreed to and what is yet to be accomplished.

Conflict Economic Sanctions

Dive back in: The NATO Public Forum

Flagship Event Tue, June 28, 2022 • 9:00 am ET

The NATO Public Forum

On the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Madrid, the Alliance’s leaders as well as international security experts will gather for the NATO Public Forum.

Climate Change & Climate Action Crisis Management Defense Policy Defense Technologies

Visualizing NATO’s priorities

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, US and NATO Eastern Flank force postures have been enhanced.

The United States and NATO allies have taken numerous steps to bolster allied force posture in Eastern Europe, enhancing deterrence against further Russian aggression and demonstrating the Alliance’s ability to defend its eastern flank.

Visualizing the NATO Strategic Concept: Five ways to look at the Alliance’s future

We asked our experts: With so much happening in the global arena, what critical but underappreciated topics will be featured in the Strategic Concept—and how should NATO think about addressing them?

Featured events

Online Event Wed, June 15, 2022 • 10:00 am ET

Allied resolve: NATO perspectives on the Russian invasion of Ukraine

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT – Four former Secretaries General of NATO offer their perspectives on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and NATO’s priorities ahead of the NATO Summit in Madrid.

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia NATO NATO Partnerships

Online Event Tue, March 29, 2022 • 8:30 am ET

A conversation with the Baltic presidents

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT – The Baltic presidents discussed the implications of the Russian-initiated war in Ukraine on European security and NATO’s adaptation.

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia NATO Northern Europe

Online Event Wed, March 23, 2022 • 10:30 am ET

Previewing the NATO Summit with Ambassador Julianne Smith

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT – US Permanent Representative to NATO, Ambassador Julianne Smith, previewed the NATO Summit and discussed how the United States and its allies are strengthening defense and deterrence in Europe.

Europe & Eurasia NATO Russia Security & Defense

Online Event Fri, January 28, 2022 • 8:30 am ET

A conversation with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT – Secretary General Stoltenberg discussed NATO’s response to the renewed tensions in Europe.

Economic Sanctions Europe & Eurasia NATO Politics & Diplomacy

Visualizing burden-sharing data

NATO allies contribute to a variety of missions. Here’s a look at how each country chips in.

The NATO alliance conducts a variety of missions on land, sea, and air. Here is a breakdown of how each country has been contributing to a selection of these missions.

Despite COVID-19 pandemic, NATO defense spending continues to rise

Even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, NATO allies have continued to increase their defense investments.

Learn more

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NATO 20/2020

Modernize the kit and the message

by H.E. Dame Karen Pierce DCMG

NATO will only remain successful over the next seventy years if it modernizes its capabilities, takes command of emerging technology, and harmonizes its strategic messaging.

Read the essay

Open a bank

by Max Bergmann and Siena Cicarelli

NATO can fund critical defense investments by bringing the necessary financial tools in house.

Read the essay

Design a Digital Marshall Plan

by the Hon. Ruben Gallego and the Hon. Vicky Hartzler

NATO allies, led by the United States, must cooperate in securing national 5G communications systems in Europe and beyond against malign Chinese influence.

Read the essay

Rethink and replace two percent

by Derek Chollet, Steven Keil, and Christopher Skaluba

NATO’s two percent metric is reductive and politically fraught but offers lessons for better ways to measure burden sharing.

Read the essay

Build an Atlantic-Pacific Partnership

by James Hildebrand, Harry W.S. Lee, Fumika Mizuno, Miyeon Oh, and Monica Michiko Sato

NATO is the only institution capable of organizing transatlantic and transpacific stakeholders to address China’s political, military, and information threats.

Read the essay

Disband the NATO Response Force

by John R. Deni

Replacing the NRF with a plug-and-play interoperability model increases the chance that NATO will employ its high-readiness forces.

Read the essay

Build resilience for an era of shocks

by Jim Townsend and Anca Agachi

NATO needs a fourth core task to protect allied populations from nontraditional threats like COVID and climate change.

Read the essay

‘Game out’ decision making

by AM Sir Christopher Harper, KBE, RAF (Ret.)

In an era where the distinction between peace and conflict is increasingly complex, NATO should retain its competitive advantage by using synthetic environments and virtual worlds to support rapid, efficient, and effective strategic decision making.

Read the essay

Digitalize the enterprise

by Jeffrey Reynolds and Jeffrey Lightfoot

If NATO is to unlock new frontiers of innovation and harness emerging technology, digitalizing how it does business is the key.

Read the essay

Listen to women

by Lisa A. Aronsson

Twenty years after its creation, NATO should affirm the strategic significance of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda and define what it means for an era of great power competition.

Read the essay

Ramp up on Russia

by Amb. Alexander Vershbow

NATO needs to increase the costs for Russian aggression while building back crucial dialogue if there is any prospect for improved relations with Moscow.

Read the essay

Put NATO back in the narrative

by Bridget Corna and Livia Godaert

NATO can recapture the imagination of allied publics by telling its own story better and in new ways to new audiences.

Read the essay

Seek membership for Mexico

by Christopher Skaluba and Gabriela R. A. Doyle

Mexico’s membership in NATO may be the key to keeping a rapidly changing America invested in European security.

Read the essay

Supersize cyber

by Safa Shahwan Edwards, William Loomis, and Simon Handler

NATO should adopt a digital .2 percent policy whereby member states commit to spend .2 percent of their gross domestic product on cybersecurity and digital defense modernization.

Read the essay

Christen a carrier strike group

by Michael John Williams

Using the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales as its backbone, a NATO carrier strike group is an opportunity for high-end interoperability under European leadership.

Read the essay

End the Russian veto on Georgian accession

by Luke Coffey and Alexis Mrachek

Admitting Georgia to NATO without extending an Article 5 guarantee to Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region can fulfil the promise of the Bucharest Summit.

Read the essay

Threaten decisive nuclear retaliation

by David Gompert and Hans Binnendijk

NATO should thwart Russian use of nuclear weapons by threatening certain retaliation.

Read the essay

Revitalize NATO’s grand strategy

by Amb. Timo Koster and Ivanka Barzashka

Collective strategic analysis is the pathway to a more inclusive, transparent, and systematic process for creating NATO’s next strategic concept.

Read the essay

Set NATO’s sights on the High North

by Jim Danoy and Marisol Maddox

Security in the Arctic is waiting on no one. NATO needs a strategy for defense and deterrence in the High North before it is outflanked.

Read the essay

Reimagine the Washington Treaty

by Damon Wilson and Will O’Brien

Reexamining NATO’s founding charter can be an exercise in creating an Alliance fit for a new geopolitical era.

Read the essay

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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.

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Content

New Atlanticist

Mar 28, 2023

Hungary has approved Finland joining NATO. But its delays raise deeper concerns.

By Petr Tůma

The problem of an unreliable Hungary will long outlast this foot-dragging over Sweden and Finland, and allies should be prepared to deal with an outlier that’s weakening the system from within.

Hungary NATO

UkraineAlert

Mar 28, 2023

The real definition of victory for Ukraine

By Victor Pinchuk

Genuine Ukrainian independence will only come with the country as a member of the European Union and NATO, writes Victor Pinchuk.

Civil Society Conflict

Inflection Points

Mar 25, 2023

‘When we are together, we drive these changes.’ What Xi and Putin’s deepening alliance means for the world order.

By Frederick Kempe

At the three-day meeting this week in Moscow, the Russian president’s desperation met the Chinese leader’s opportunism. The visit marks an inflection point for global order.

China Conflict

Footage published by RIA Novosti shows Vladmir Putin’s entourage reacting after a woman reportedly yelled “This all is not true! It’s all for a show!” The clip was later edited out by the Kremlin.

New Atlanticist

Mar 24, 2023

Russian War Report: Kremlin edits footage of Mariupol visit to remove women shouting at Putin

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

After Putin was yelled at in Mariupol, the Kremlin cut the exchange from their official video. RIA Novosti published the whole interaction.

Conflict Disinformation

Report

Mar 20, 2023

Humanitarian aid: Defining new areas of US-LAC collaboration

By Pepe Zhang, Isabel Bernhard

The US humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) system—well practiced and extensively developed—could further serve US and partners’ needs in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and beyond through targeted improvements. Based on our experience as HADR practitioners with operational and academic expertise, we share insights from many years of working with partners in the Americas.

Americas Caribbean

New Atlanticist

Mar 20, 2023

What NATO can do now to apply lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine

By John R. Deni

NATO should be setting higher defense targets for major European allies, exploring hybrid warfare, and more.

Conflict Crisis Management

In the News

Mar 19, 2023

Hooker in the National Journal: Dramatic downing of US drone leads Congress to call for a new Black Sea strategy

Richard Hooker discusses that although the Black Sea region has garnered renewed attention since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year, this is not the first time the region has played a significant role in international relations. There is a critical need for a new Black Sea strategy, as the recent downing of an US drone demonstrates.

Conflict NATO

In the News

Mar 19, 2023

Binnendijk in Global Politics and Strategy: Towards Nuclear Stewardship with China

By Hans Binnendijk

Binnendijk and Gompert argue that with the rising risk of complex crises and military escalation in the Pacific region, the United States should invite China into a process of nuclear restraint and confidence-building, called ‘nuclear stewardship.' This process could start with a joint bilateral declaration that neither superpower would use nuclear weapons first against the other or its formal allies.

Arms Control Defense Policy