NATO

NATO

From July 7 to 8, heads of state and government will gather at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, where allies will seek to capitalize on the success of last year’s landmark defense spending pledge and begin converting cash into capabilities. 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

Afghanistan, Pakistan and NATO’s Strategic Concept

Dispatches
Apr 20, 2026

Five ideas to make the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara a success

By
Atlantic Council experts

While the upcoming summit is unlikely to produce anything as singularly significant as 2025’s “5 percent” pledge, there are important steps the Alliance should take.

Europe & Eurasia
NATO

Afghanistan, Pakistan and NATO’s Strategic Concept

Dispatches
Apr 10, 2026

Dispatch from Vilnius: Warfare is evolving rapidly. Here’s how NATO can keep up.

By
David Julazadeh, Julia Salabert

The most important change is that the cost barrier to generating strategic effects has dropped dramatically.

Defense Industry
Europe & Eurasia

Afghanistan, Pakistan and NATO’s Strategic Concept

Dispatches
Jan 21, 2026

To adapt to today’s security threats, NATO should prioritize the basics of defense innovation

By
Julia Salabert, Kristen Taylor

Transatlantic allies must focus on accelerating defense innovation while strengthening their defense industrial bases.

Defense Industry
Defense Policy

Afghanistan, Pakistan and NATO’s Strategic Concept

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

Afghanistan, Pakistan and NATO’s Strategic Concept

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

Afghanistan, Pakistan and NATO’s Strategic Concept

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

FEATURED EVENTS

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

Belgium’s defense minister on the future of transatlantic security relations

Minister of Defense of Belgium Theo Francken shares his views on transatlantic security developments and Belgium’s role in Europe’s growing defense industry.

Defense Policy
Europe & Eurasia
NATO
Politics & Diplomacy


Public Event
Fri, April 17, 2026 • 11:45 am ET

The British ambassador to the US on Euro-Atlantic security and the Middle East

British Ambassador to the United States Sir Christian Turner joins the Atlantic Council to discuss the UK’s ongoing diplomatic efforts in the Middle East and its vision for the future of Euro-Atlantic security cooperation.

Europe & Eurasia
Iran
Middle East
NATO


Online Event
Tue, April 7, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

US-Turkish defense relations and the upcoming NATO Summit

A discussion on the new era for the bilateral US-Turkish defense relationship and the significance of the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara.

Defense Industry
Defense Policy
Europe & Eurasia
Geopolitics & Energy Security


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

Within the Atlantic Council’s longstanding commitment to strengthening the transatlantic relationship, the Atlantic Council Turkey Program conducts research, provides thought leadership, and offers a platform for strategic dialogue between the US, Turkey, and NATO allies to address the region’s toughest challenges and explore opportunities, including in the fields of energy, business & trade, technology, defense, and security.

Learn more

Content

STOCK - NATO-OTAN

Issue Brief

Apr 9, 2010

Afghanistan, Pakistan and NATO’s Strategic Concept

In the latest Issue Brief, Strategic Advisors Group (SAG) members Boyko Noev and Harlan Ullman analyze NATO’s three options for how the Strategic Concept should deal with Afghanistan: ignore and defer; finesse; or confront. Download the PDF

Afghanistan NATO

Issue Brief

Apr 7, 2010

NATO Defense Capabilities: A Guide for Action

Strategic Advisors Group (SAG) members Paul Gebhard and Ralph Crosby address the enduring challenge for NATO nations of how best to enhance their individual and, through the Alliance, their collective capabilities and what could be done through the Alliance’s new Strategic Concept. Download the PDF

NATO Security & Defense

Issue Brief

Apr 2, 2010

NATO Initiatives for an Era of Global Competition

By Franklin D. Kramer

Franklin D. Kramer, Atlantic Council vice chair and member of the Strategic Advisors Group (SAG), recommends five initiatives for NATO designed to respond to global challenges in both the immediate and longer term. Download PDF

NATO Security & Defense

Transcript

Mar 22, 2010

Toomas Ilves Hendrik Transcript

Ilves Event Speakers: Frederick Kempe, President and CEO, Atlantic Council Andy Prozes, Atlantic Council Board Director and CEO, LexisNexis Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia

European Union International Organizations

Transcript

Mar 18, 2010

Force Posture – Panel 4 Transcript

U.S. Force Posture in Europe Speakers: Rear Admiral (Ret.) Richard Jaskot, Senior Associate, Booze Allen Hamilton Rep. Jim Marshall (D-GA) Ian Brzezinski, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO, Atlantic Council SAG Member Frank Kramer, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Atlantic Council SAG Member

NATO Security & Defense

Transcript

Mar 18, 2010

Force Posture – Panel 3 Transcript

U.S. Force Posture in Europe Speakers: Hank Allen, Vice President, MPRI Andrzej Karkoszka, Former Polish Secretary of State for National General Klaus Naumann, Former Chairman, NATO’s Military Committee Boyko Noev, Former Bulgarian Defense Minister, Atlantic Council SAG Member Risto Volanen, State Secretary to the Prime Minister of Finland

NATO Security & Defense

Transcript

Mar 18, 2010

Force Posture – Panel 2 Transcript

U.S. Force Posture in Europe Speakers: Peter Walpole, Associate, Booze Allen Hamilton Maj Gen Paul Schafer, Director of Strategy, Policy and Assessments, U.S. European Command Kori Schake, Distinguished Chair of International Security Studies, West Point Academy Jim Townsend, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO Gen (Ret.) Chuck Wald, Aerospace and Defense Industry […]

Europe & Eurasia Missile Defense

Transcript

Mar 18, 2010

Force Posture – Introductions and Panel Transcript

U.S. Force Posture in Europe Speakers: Damon Wilson, Vice President and Director, International Security Program, Atlantic Council Ian Brzezinski, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO, Atlantic Council SAG Member Frank Kramer, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Atlantic Council SAG Member Janine Davidson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense […]

NATO Security & Defense

Event Recap

Mar 16, 2010

NATO Forum: Slovak Defense Leaders at the Atlantic Council

The Atlantic Council hosted Slovak Minister of Defense Jaroslav Baška and General Ľubomír Bulík, Chief of the General Staff of the Slovak Armed Forces, for a NATO Forum strategy session.

Central Europe NATO

Transcript

Mar 15, 2010

James Steinberg Event Transcript

Steinberg Event Speakers: Frederick Kempe, President and CEO, Atlantic Council James Steinberg, Deputy Secretary of State

NATO Security & Defense
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Experts

Fellow

Marta Kepe

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Industry English

Fellow

Jeppe Kofod

Distinguished Fellow

Global Energy Center

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Timo S. Koster

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Cybersecurity Dutch

Fellow

Dominika Kunertova

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Artificial Intelligence Central Europe

Fellow

Natasha Lander Finch

Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Arms Control Europe & Eurasia

Expert

Gabrielius Landsbergis

Distinguished Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Defense Policy Lithuanian
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Events

Public Event Wed, June 17, 2026 • 3:30 pm ET

Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis on the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara

AN AC FRONT PAGE EVENT—The Atlantic Council is hosting Senators Shaheen and Tillis for a conversation on the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara.
Europe & Eurasia NATO Security & Defense