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

Wieslander interviewed on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon

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
Wieslander interviewed on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon

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
Wieslander interviewed on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon

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
Wieslander interviewed on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon

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
Wieslander interviewed on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon

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
Wieslander interviewed on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon

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
Wieslander interviewed on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon

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
Wieslander interviewed on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon

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
Wieslander interviewed on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon

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

In the News

Aug 20, 2025

Wieslander interviewed on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon

Anna Wieslander, Director for Northern Europe, appeared on Swedish TV program “Nyhetsmorgon”, Wednesday August 20, to comment on the developments in the negotiations for peace in Ukraine. Wieslander argues that Europe needs to do more to put pressure on Russia by transfering the frozen Russian state assets in European banks to a Ukrainian reconstruction fund […]

NATO Northern Europe

TURKEYSource

Aug 20, 2025

Transatlantic experts highlight the importance of growing US-Turkish defense ties

By Alp Ozen, Zeynep Egeli

On July 23 in Istanbul, on the sidelines of the International Defense Industry Fair, the Atlantic Council Turkey Program organized an event to discuss transatlantic defense relations and strategic cooperation in a region in flux, gathering business leaders, diplomats, and experts.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

New Atlanticist

Aug 19, 2025

Europe needs to keep up the momentum for Ukraine after its White House show of force

By Jörn Fleck, James Batchik

Among other steps, European leaders should press forward on defining what security guarantees for Ukraine look like.

European Union France

Fast Thinking

Aug 18, 2025

Was Trump’s summit with Zelenskyy and European leaders a turning point for Russia’s war in Ukraine?

By Atlantic Council

Our experts share their perspectives on what the White House summit means for efforts to end Russia’s war on Ukraine and provide security assurances for Kyiv.

Conflict Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Aug 18, 2025

Wieslander interviewed on Swedish TV

On Monday August 18th, Anna Wieslander, Director for Northern Europe, appeared on Swedish news program Aktuellt to comment on the Washington-summit between President Trump, President Zelenskyy and European leaders. European leaders tried to bring greater clarity to the issue of American security guarantees to Ukraine, but question marks remain comments Wieslander. Wieslander goes on to […]

National Security NATO

Inflection Points

Aug 17, 2025

Will Europe rise to its strategic moment?

By Frederick Kempe

With the future of European security on the line, the Ukrainian president and several European allies will meet with US President Donald Trump on Monday.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

In the News

Aug 15, 2025

Deni in Breaking Defense on the economic argument for US troops in Europe

By John R. Deni

On August 15, Transatlantic Security Initiative nonresident senior fellow John Deni wrote an op-ed in Breaking Defense on the economic argument for keeping US troops in Europe.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

In the News

Aug 13, 2025

Taylor in Breaking Defense on how NATO allies should communicate defense spending hikes

By Kristen Taylor

On August 13, Transatlantic Security Initiative assistant director Kristen Taylor published an op-ed in Breaking Defense on how NATO allies should message defense spending increases to their publics.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

UkraineAlert

Aug 12, 2025

Sacrificing Ukraine will only increase the cost of stopping Putin’s Russia

By Pavlo Zhovnirenko

Pressuring Ukraine to accept a Kremlin-friendly settlement may succeed in pausing the current war, but it will not bring peace. On the contrary, it will set the stage for international instability on a far larger scale, writes Pavlo Zhovnirenko.

China Conflict
Credit: Photo by Efe Yağız Soysal on Unsplash

TURKEYSource

Aug 11, 2025

How Turkey’s strategic ambiguity became an advantage in a multipolar world

By Ali Mammadov

In a unpredictable international system, Turkey’s ability to maintain ties across divides and rivalries has become its greatest asset.

Defense Policy English
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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 Tue, October 7, 2025 • 4:30 pm ET

Pressure for peace: How to end the Russian war on Ukraine
Conflict Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia NATO