NATO

Security & Defense

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

Secretary Yellen’s speech from our event was featured in Bloomberg

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

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

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

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

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

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.

By Stefano Stefanini

Stefano Stefanini discusses the implications of Finnish membership in NATO.

Conflict Eastern Europe

In the News

Apr 12, 2022

Vershbow in the Washington Post: If Putin isn’t stopped in Ukraine, the Baltics are likely next

By Alexander Vershbow

Alexander Vershbow discusses Putin's aims for Europe.

Conflict Eastern Europe

In the News

Apr 12, 2022

Guevara in El Heraldo de México: Scenarios for war

By Inigo Guevara Moyano

Inigo Guevara Moyano lays out potential scenarios for the course of the war in Ukraine.

Conflict Eastern Europe

In the News

Apr 12, 2022

Brzezinski in iRohzlas: A humanitarian zone needs to be established in Ukraine. The West would show determination

By Ian Brzezinski

Ian Brzezinski discusses what can be done to aid Ukraine and the role of Czechia.

Conflict Eastern Europe

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Technologies English

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

Share

TRACKING NATO SPENDING

NATO defense spending tracker

FEATURED READING

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

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

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

Four fundamental questions the NATO Summit did not answer

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

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

FEATURED EVENTS

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

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

US-Turkish defense relations and the upcoming NATO Summit

TUNE IN

Programs and initiatives

Content

Secretary Yellen’s speech from our event was featured in Bloomberg

Secretary Yellen’s remarks from our event on countries attempting to undermine the coalition of sanctions featured in Financial Times

Secretary Yellen’s remarks on China’s relationship with Russia and countries remaining neutral from our event were featured in Agence France-Presse

MarketWatch featured Secretary Yellen’s remarks from our event

Secretary Yellen’s remarks from our event on the global economy in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine were featured in The New York Times

Lipsky quoted in the Washington Post on the importance of the G20

Stefanini in Quotidiano Libero: Finland in NATO–“It will join, but then…” Russia and Article 5: What awaits us

Vershbow in the Washington Post: If Putin isn’t stopped in Ukraine, the Baltics are likely next

Guevara in El Heraldo de México: Scenarios for war

Brzezinski in iRohzlas: A humanitarian zone needs to be established in Ukraine. The West would show determination

Experts

Lisa Homel

Richard D. Hooker, Jr.

LeAnne Noelani Howard

James Hursch

Beniamino Irdi

David Julazadeh

Events

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

Oops...

It looks like we're having a technical issue.