NATO

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.

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

Operation Unified Protector: The Libya Air Campaign Revisited

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

Operation Unified Protector: The Libya Air Campaign Revisited

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

Operation Unified Protector: The Libya Air Campaign Revisited

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

Operation Unified Protector: The Libya Air Campaign Revisited

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

Operation Unified Protector: The Libya Air Campaign Revisited

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

Operation Unified Protector: The Libya Air Campaign Revisited

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

Operation Unified Protector: The Libya Air Campaign Revisited

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

Operation Unified Protector: The Libya Air Campaign Revisited

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

Operation Unified Protector: The Libya Air Campaign Revisited

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.

Learn more

Content

Lieutenant General Ralph J. Jodice II, USAF at the Atlantic Council

Event Recap

Jun 4, 2012

Operation Unified Protector: The Libya Air Campaign Revisited

On June 4, the Atlantic Council hosted Lieutenant General Ralph Jodice, commander of air operations for Operation Unified Protector, the NATO campaign in Libya in 2011.

Libya NATO

New Atlanticist

Jun 1, 2012

NATO’s Many Challenges

By Joshua Foust

I had the privilege of attending the Young Atlanticist Summit, sponsored by The Atlantic Council, during the NATO Summit last week in Chicago. It was a fascinating experience, getting to hear NATO officials discuss their plans with an oftentimes skeptical crowd. NATO tried to sell the summit as a watershed moment for the alliance – […]

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

May 31, 2012

Ending Poland’s Absurd Exclusion From Visa Waiver Program

By James Joyner

Speaking today at the Wroclaw Global Forum, Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides declared that “the Obama Administration strongly supports expanding the Visa Waiver Program to include Poland” and that “legislation that could open the door to Poland’s participation in the program is possible by the end of this year.”

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

May 31, 2012

Mission Taliban

By Bharat Karnad

There are certain immutable laws of military history that repeated attempts at disproving them only end up confirming their veracity. One such law has to do with certain countries being simply intolerant of interventions by foreign powers. Vietnam and Afghanistan come readily to mind; they are the fabled “graveyards of empires”.

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

May 31, 2012

Five Questions with Ellen Tauscher at the NATO Summit

By Simona Kordosova

At the NATO Summit in Chicago earlier this month, the Atlantic Council’s Simona Kordosova had the opportunity to interview Ellen Tauscher, US special envoy for strategic stability and missile defense, and vice chair designate of the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security.

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

May 29, 2012

NATO’s Biggest Security Threat Is Now Economic

By Frederick Kempe

As measured from President Obama’s re-election campaign perspective – the White House’s litmus test for foreign policy issues through November – last weekend’s G-8 and NATO Summits were bell ringers. Obama campaign strategists couldn’t have scripted their outcomes better – perhaps because they did script them. Given the potential for dissent, President Obama could be […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

May 24, 2012

Anchoring the Alliance: An Atlanticist France

By R. Nicholas Burns Damon Wilson and Jeffrey Lightfoot

For over sixty years, an ambivalent France sat at the center of the Alliance. For NATO to thrive in the decades ahead, it needs an energetic France to sustain its Atlanticist instincts. That is particularly important now that François Hollande has been elected as France’s new President. One of Nicolas Sarkozy’s most notable accomplishments as […]

France NATO

New Atlanticist

May 23, 2012

When Will You Face Strategic Reality, Mr. NATO Secretary General?

By Julian Lindley-French

Dear Mr. Secretary General Rasmussen, You and I share at least one thing: a passionate belief in the Atlantic Alliance and the vital role NATO must and will play in the future defense of our peoples and the security and stability of a fractious and dangerous world.

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

May 23, 2012

NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defense: A Promising Triumph of Prudence

By Boyko Noev

At their Chicago summit, NATO heads of state and government declared that the Alliance had achieved an interim ballistic missile defense (BMD) capability. This political-military project is one the most important achievements in NATO’s post- Cold War history and goes far beyond the technical aspects of a very unique and complex defense system. First and […]

Missile Defense NATO

New Atlanticist

May 22, 2012

The Lost Alliance: NATO in Chicago

By Tomas Ries

A ship is adrift in a foggy sea. The crew are in their bunks, the officers argue about their mortgages, and the captain has left. The captain has left because the United States no longer believes NATO can contribute significantly against any serious global strategic challenges. An occasional bit player, yes: a partner with the […]

Europe & Eurasia NATO
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Experts

Fellow

Anca Agachi

Nonresident Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Africa Conflict

Staff

Nika Aleksejeva

Resident Fellow, Baltics

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Belarus Disinformation

Millennium fellow

Kirk Allen

Digital Communications Lead, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

Millennium Leadership Program

Middle East NATO Partnerships

Fellow

Lukas Andriukaitis

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Disinformation Eastern Europe

Fellow

Ryan Arick

Nonresident Fellow

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
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Events

Public Event Tue, April 28, 2026 • 10:15 am ET

Belgium’s defense minister on the future of transatlantic security relations
Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia NATO Politics & Diplomacy