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

Rich Outzen joins TRT World to discuss what to expect from the NATO Vilnius Summit

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
Rich Outzen joins TRT World to discuss what to expect from the NATO Vilnius Summit

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
Rich Outzen joins TRT World to discuss what to expect from the NATO Vilnius Summit

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
Rich Outzen joins TRT World to discuss what to expect from the NATO Vilnius Summit

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
Rich Outzen joins TRT World to discuss what to expect from the NATO Vilnius Summit

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
Rich Outzen joins TRT World to discuss what to expect from the NATO Vilnius Summit

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
Rich Outzen joins TRT World to discuss what to expect from the NATO Vilnius Summit

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
Rich Outzen joins TRT World to discuss what to expect from the NATO Vilnius Summit

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
Rich Outzen joins TRT World to discuss what to expect from the NATO Vilnius Summit

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

In the News

Jul 10, 2023

Rich Outzen joins TRT World to discuss what to expect from the NATO Vilnius Summit
Europe & Eurasia NATO

In the News

Jul 10, 2023

Wieslander interviewed in Dagens Nyheter

“It is unclear what kind of agreement will be reached in Vilnius.” “‘I think it will be some kind of political declaration. You can put it on paper or you can just express it. The best thing now is to put the declaration in the form of a statement rather than conditioning things on paper’, […]

NATO Northern Europe

In the News

Jul 9, 2023

Getmanchuk in Politico: Why Ukraine should get an invitation to NATO

By Atlantic Council

Central Europe Eastern Europe

In the News

Jul 9, 2023

Getmanchuk in the New York Times: A NATO invitation will make or break Ukraine

By Atlantic Council

Central Europe Eastern Europe

In the News

Jul 9, 2023

Yevgeniya Gaber joins TVP World to discuss Zelenskyy’s visit to Turkey and why Ukraine expected invitation to join NATO at the Vilnius Summit
Europe & Eurasia NATO

Inflection Points

Jul 9, 2023

Dispatch from Vilnius: Will Zelenskyy show at the summit? It depends on whether Biden listens to frontline NATO allies.

By Frederick Kempe

Central European officials say the US has held up a fast track to NATO membership for Ukraine. That would be a mistake.

Conflict Eastern Europe

TURKEYSource

Jul 8, 2023

A looming US-Turkey F-16 deal is about much more than Sweden’s NATO bid

By Rich Outzen, Pınar Dost

The long-awaited fighter jet deal is a puzzle piece in a broader strategic calculation about Ankara’s role in NATO’s Southeast.

Conflict Defense Industry

In the News

Jul 8, 2023

Wieslander quoted in Dagens Nyheter

“‘Another important reason for NATO to include Sweden is political’, as Anna Wieslander points out.” “‘Sweden is a solid old democracy, we have a strong economy and we are members of the EU. Politically, we are a reliable country because NATO is based on democratic values with respect for the rule of law and individual […]

NATO Northern Europe

In the News

Jul 7, 2023

Jeglinskas featured in delfi.lt on potential cyber ​​threats and NATO

By Giedrimas Jeglinskas

On July 7, Transatlantic Security Initiative nonresident senior fellow Giedrimas Jeglinskas was interviewed in delfi.lt on cyber ​​threats and NATO (text in Lithuanian). 

Cybersecurity Defense Policy

New Atlanticist

Jul 7, 2023

Will eleventh-hour diplomacy get Sweden into NATO by the Vilnius summit?

By Anna Wieslander and Eric Adamson

At stake in Vilnius is not only the security of Sweden and the Alliance as a whole, but NATO’s open-door credibility.

Europe & Eurasia National Security
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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

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

US-Turkish defense relations and the upcoming NATO Summit
Defense Industry Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia Geopolitics & Energy Security