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

Jun 15, 2021

Kosovo President Osmani: Today’s challenges require ‘an entirely different governing mindset’

By Katherine Golden

As Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani faces rule of law challenges, high unemployment rates, and a slow vaccine rollout, she’s putting domestic reforms at the top of her priorities—even ahead of the country’s European Union-facilitated dialogue with Serbia.

Crisis Management Inclusive Growth

TURKEYSource

Jun 14, 2021

Expert React: The key takeaways from the Biden-Erdoğan Meeting

By Atlantic Council IN TURKEY

US President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Brussels on June 14 for the first time since Biden's election. Atlantic Council experts offer their reactions on the meeting and its key takeaways.

Conflict Defense Technologies

New Atlanticist

Jun 14, 2021

Three priorities for NATO partnerships in a contested world

By Lisa Aronsson and Brett Swaney

NATO should double down on what works—capacity-building—while expanding political consultations with partners and forging new frontiers in science and technology cooperation.

Europe & Eurasia Indo-Pacific

New Atlanticist

Jun 14, 2021

Misunderstanding and underestimating Europe

By Olivier-Rémy Bel

Europe has changed. It has started—though only started—transforming into a global geopolitical player. The urgent task before Europe is to finish that transition.

China European Union

AC Selects

Jun 13, 2021

AC Selects: NATO’s vision for the future

Week of June 13, 2021 Welcome to the first episode of AC Selects! Hear from NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg as he discusses the NATO 2030 agenda and his vision for the future of the Alliance. Related events

NATO NATO Partnerships

In the News

Jun 13, 2021

Deni in the The Hill: Biden’s agenda in Geneva – remind Putin of consequences for Russian malign behavior

By John R. Deni

Deni writes in The Hill that there are two reasons why a US-Russia summit makes for good policy and good politics at this moment

Arms Control Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

Jun 12, 2021

NATO must stand with Ukraine against Russian aggression

By Paul Grod

NATO's 2008 decision to deny Ukraine a Membership Action Plan paved the way for Putin's 2014 attack. NATO leaders must now back Ukraine to prevent a further escalation in Russia's war on the post-1991 settlement.

Conflict NATO Partnerships

In the News

Jun 12, 2021

Vershbow in POLITICO: Biden revels in Trump’s absence from the world stage

By Alexander Vershbow

Amb. Vershbow was quoted in POLITICO on European concerns over the tendencies that led to President Trump's election, and the unique approaches different European leaders are taking to President Biden.

Arms Control Eastern Europe

New Atlanticist

Jun 11, 2021

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

By Connor McPartland, Demetrios Marinides

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.

Crisis Management Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Jun 11, 2021

Vershbow in The New York Times: Biden aims to bolster US alliances in Europe, but challenges loom

By Alexander Vershbow

Ambassador Alexander Vershbow was quoted in the New York Times on the Biden-Putin Summit and how despite arguing over many things, the two leaders will continue the dialogue going forward.

Arms Control Eastern Europe

Experts

Events