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

10 ways the west should engage with Ukraine after 2019 elections

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
10 ways the west should engage with Ukraine after 2019 elections

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
10 ways the west should engage with Ukraine after 2019 elections

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
10 ways the west should engage with Ukraine after 2019 elections

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
10 ways the west should engage with Ukraine after 2019 elections

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
10 ways the west should engage with Ukraine after 2019 elections

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
10 ways the west should engage with Ukraine after 2019 elections

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
10 ways the west should engage with Ukraine after 2019 elections

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
10 ways the west should engage with Ukraine after 2019 elections

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 • 8:00 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

UkraineAlert

Apr 25, 2019

10 ways the west should engage with Ukraine after 2019 elections

By Chatham House

Five years after the annexation of Crimea and the instigation of conflict in the Donbas, the reasons for continued sanctions on Russia have not gone away. Crimea is still occupied. War grinds on in the Donbas. Ukraine held presidential elections this spring and will hold parliamentary elections in the fall. Whatever the results, events in […]

Defense Policy Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Apr 25, 2019

What Zelenskiy’s victory means for Ukraine

By David J. Kramer

The temptation in Kyiv and elsewhere is to look past Sunday’s overwhelming victory by upstart Volodymyr Zelenskiy over incumbent Petro Poroshenko and try to divine what it means for Ukraine. This piece will yield to that temptation—but after acknowledging the importance of what happened Sunday and throughout the election campaign. Free and fair elections in […]

Democratic Transitions Elections

In the News

Apr 24, 2019

McFate Quoted in New Eastern Europe on NATO’s Future

By Sean McFate

Read the full article here

NATO Security & Defense

NATOat70

Apr 24, 2019

A strong NATO could help alleviate the world’s migrant and refugee crisis

By Priyali Sur

NATO’s ability to adapt to new emergencies in different geographies only proves that an international allied effort is needed now as much, if not more than ever.

Migration NATO

New Atlanticist

Apr 17, 2019

Finland’s elections: Big lessons from a small country?

By Leo Michel

A coalition government led by the Social Democrats, while opposed to seeking NATO membership, is unlikely to change current Finnish policy of keeping the option open.

Elections NATO

NATOat70

Apr 15, 2019

NATO Engages: Behind the Iron Curtain

NATO Engages 2019 “Behind the Iron Curtain” Speaker: Rastislav Káčer, Chairman, GLOBSEC Introducer: Nik Gowing, Founder and Director, Thinking the Unthinkable Location: Washington, DC Time: 10:45 AM EDTWednesday, April 3, 2019

NATO Security & Defense

NATOat70

Apr 15, 2019

NATO Engages: Serving Side by Side

NATO Engages 2019 “Serving Side by Side”  Speaker: Major Matt Wilson, United States Air Force Introducers: Ines Pohl, editor-in-chief, Deutsche WelleNik Gowing, Founder and Director, Thinking the Unthinkable Location: Washington, DC Time: 4:20 PM EDTWednesday, April 3, 2019

NATO Security & Defense

9/11 - Twenty years on

Apr 15, 2019

NATO Engages: 9/11 and Article 5

By Atlantic Council

NATO Engages 2019 9/11 and Article 5 Speaker: Tim Brown, Retired Firefighter, New York Fire Department, 9/11 Survivor Introducer: Nik Gowing, Founder and Director, Thinking the Unthinkable Location: Washington, DC Time: 3:30 PM EDTWednesday, April 3, 2019 NIK GOWING: Secretary General, thank you very much. And Andrea, thank you very much indeed.

NATO Security & Defense

In the News

Apr 11, 2019

Ashford in Center for New American Security: New voices in grand strategy

By Atlantic Council

Emma is a featured author writing about US grand stratrgy in the 2019 CNAS report, New Voices in Grand Strategy. More about our expert

Conflict NATO

New Atlanticist

Apr 9, 2019

Stronger with Allies: Spanish and US navies doing more together

By Adm. James G. Foggo III

When we work together we enhance the collective capabilities of our maritime forces.

NATO Southern & Southeastern Europe
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Experts

Fellow

Paolo Alli

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Eastern Europe English

Fellow

Lukas Andriukaitis

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Eastern Europe

Staff

Ryan Arick

Associate Director

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

NATO Security & Defense

Fellow

Lisa Aronsson

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Fellow

Kyle Atwell

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Colombia

Fellow

David Auerswald

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia
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