NATO

From June 24 to 25, heads of state and government gathered at the NATO Summit in The Hague, where they agreed on a new commitment to spend 5 percent of gross domestic product on defense by 2035. Check out our commentary, analysis, and events covering the convening, courtesy of our experts.

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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

The Israeli experience in missile defense: Lessons for NATO

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
The Israeli experience in missile defense: Lessons for NATO

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
The Israeli experience in missile defense: Lessons for NATO

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
The Israeli experience in missile defense: Lessons for NATO

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
The Israeli experience in missile defense: Lessons for NATO

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
The Israeli experience in missile defense: Lessons for NATO

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
The Israeli experience in missile defense: Lessons for NATO

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
The Israeli experience in missile defense: Lessons for NATO

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
The Israeli experience in missile defense: Lessons for NATO

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 • 4:00 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.

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Content

Issue Brief

Aug 12, 2013

The Israeli experience in missile defense: Lessons for NATO

By Jean-Loup Samaan and Guillaume Lasconjarias

Jean-Loup Samaan and Guillaume Lasconjarias, research fellows at the NATO Defense College in Italy, outline in this issue brief for the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security what NATO can learn from the Israeli experience in missile defense. Samaan and Lasconjarias identify five domains where Israel’s missile defense experience may offer both helpful lessons and […]

Israel Missile Defense

Event Recap

Aug 12, 2013

Transition Strategy Seminar on NATO’s Challenges

On August 13, the Atlantic Council hosted an off-the-record transition seminar for Ambassador Douglas E. Lute, the newly appointed US permanent representative to NATO.

NATO Security & Defense
Col. Steve Gilland, left, commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

NATOSource

Jul 22, 2013

US Commits Brigade Combat Team to NATO Rotation

By Michelle Tan, Army Times

U.S. soldiers are preparing for a rotation with the NATO Response Force, marking the first time the U.S. has committed one of its primary fighting formations to the international effort. The soldiers are with the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team (BCT).

NATO Security & Defense

Event Recap

Jul 3, 2013

The Transatlantic Link Series: The Path to the 2014 NATO Summit

On July 3, the Atlantic Council held an off-the-record video conference with high level NATO officials to recommend policies crafted during the Atlantic Council’s NATO in a New Security Landscape conference and discuss agenda topics for the 2014 NATO Summit.

NATO Security & Defense

NATOSource

Jul 1, 2013

Alliances and American Power in the 21st Century

By Joseph S. Nye Jr., Washington Post

From Joseph S. Nye Jr., Washington Post:   [G]iven our energy resources, the U.S. economy will be less vulnerable than the Chinese economy to external shocks.

China Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

Jun 27, 2013

Ich Bin Ein Westerner

By Julian Lindley-French

“Ich bin ein Berliner.” Fifty years ago this week President Kennedy made his famous defiant assertion of Western solidarity at the strategic fault line of the Berlin Wall.  What today is the state of the West? Kennedy’s moment has passed into strategic folklore.  However, perhaps more enduring was a speech he made the next day in Frankfurt.  Responding […]

Central Europe European Union

NATOSource

Jun 24, 2013

NATO’s Multinational Command in the US Celebrates 10th Anniversary

By Dianna Cahn, Virginian-Pilot

From Dianna Cahn, Virginian-Pilot:  Today, [Gen. Jean-Paul] Paloméros sees global threats through the reverse lens – as leader of the international command that brings the 28 NATO nations together and ensures that they are prepared to respond rapidly to any future crisis.

NATO Security & Defense

Event Recap

Jun 11, 2013

Nordic-Baltic Security Challenges in the Context of NATO’s Crisis Management System

On June 11, the Atlantic Council collaborated with the Embassy of Estonia to host a private strategy session on NATO’s deterrence capabilities and crisis management systems through the lens of Nordic-Baltic security challenges.

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Jun 10, 2013

Baltic Spirit

By Julian Lindley-French

Having dinner with the Lithuanian Chief of Defense Staff Lieutenant General Pocius was a moving experience. Listening to the story of his family’s struggle for freedom left with me with the profound sense that every NATO and EU leader should visit the Baltic States at least once a year to remind themselves of the importance of […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jun 6, 2013

Why NATO Won’t Intervene in Syria

By James Joyner

NATO secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen reiterated Friday that the Alliance will not intervene militarily in Syria. While he repeatedly made the same assurances regarding Libya before NATO’s ultimate action, there’s good reason to believe him this time.  First, as Rasmussen noted, “There is a clear difference between Libya and Syria. We took responsibility for the […]

National Security NATO
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Experts

Fellow

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

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Staff

Lisa Homel

Associate Director

Europe Center

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Richard D. Hooker, Jr.

Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia National Security

Fellow

LeAnne Noelani Howard

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

James Hursch

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Fellow

Beniamino Irdi

Former Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Disinformation English
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