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

NATO should offer Ukraine a membership plan now

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
NATO should offer Ukraine a membership plan now

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
NATO should offer Ukraine a membership plan now

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
NATO should offer Ukraine a membership plan now

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
NATO should offer Ukraine a membership plan now

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
NATO should offer Ukraine a membership plan now

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
NATO should offer Ukraine a membership plan now

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
NATO should offer Ukraine a membership plan now

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
NATO should offer Ukraine a membership plan now

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

New Atlanticist

Apr 13, 2023

NATO should offer Ukraine a membership plan now

By Franklin D. Kramer

Considering today’s geopolitics and NATO’s values, offering a membership action plan is the most effective and appropriate response to the challenge Russia presents.

Conflict
NATO

Issue Brief

Apr 11, 2023

Defining success for NATO’s Vilnius summit: A primer

By Charles Barry and Christopher Skaluba

A successful NATO summit in July requires significant progress on a host of NATO’s political and military priorities, especially those enumerated at Madrid.

Europe & Eurasia
National Security

In the News

Apr 11, 2023

Kroenig and Ashford debate Finland’s accession to NATO

On April 7, Foreign Policy published its biweekly "It's Debatable" column featuring Scowcroft Center deputy director Matthew Kroenig and Emma Ashford assessing the latest news in international affairs.

NATO
Politics & Diplomacy

UkraineAlert

Apr 6, 2023

NATO poses a threat to Russian imperialism not Russian security

By Peter Dickinson

Russia's passive acceptance of neighboring Finland's NATO membership raises serious questions over the Kremlin's efforts to portray the invasion of Ukraine as a response to NATO expansion, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict
Disinformation

In the News

Apr 6, 2023

Courtney and Binnendijk in The Hill: Europe is Ukraine’s essential ally

By Hans Binnendijk

Courtney and Binnendijk argue that while the United States is Ukraine’s primary military backer, Europe is sharing the war’s overall burden. Ukraine’s future lies in Europe.

Defense Policy
Europe & Eurasia

TURKEYSource

Apr 4, 2023

How to close the gap between Turkey and Sweden on NATO enlargement

By Grady Wilson, Pınar Dost

Turkey is not yet ready to greenlight Sweden's NATO accession but significant progress has been made. Here's a possible outline of a compromise.

NATO
Northern Europe

New Atlanticist

Apr 4, 2023

Will Finland’s political turn mean a course change on NATO too?

By Rasmus Hindrén

Finland is joining NATO just as its center-left government lost a general election. Here's what to expect with the center-right National Coalition Party in charge.

Democratic Transitions
Elections

In the News

Apr 4, 2023

Wieslander quoted in Washington Post

“There is concern across the alliance that Turkey and Hungary have been willing to hand a symbolic victory to Russia — and that the rest of NATO has not been able to stop them. ‘The risk is that this brings a wedge into NATO,’ said Anna Wieslander, director for Northern Europe at the Atlantic Council. […]

NATO
Northern Europe

In the News

Apr 4, 2023

Wieslander quoted in France24

“Anna Wieslander, director for Northern Europe at the think tank Atlantic Council, said the disagreement on Sweden could expose cracks within the alliance. ‘If NATO doesn’t deliver on Sweden becoming a member, then NATO will appear weakened,’ Wieslander said. Lingering divisions could ultimately affect how NATO supports Ukraine, she added. ‘That which has been the […]

NATO
Northern Europe

In the News

Mar 31, 2023

Mefford in the Arc: Mapping the peace: Why there is no alternative to NATO for Ukraine

By Atlantic Council

Central Europe
Eastern Europe
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Experts

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

Expert

Jon Wilks

Distinguished Fellow, Transatlantic Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Crisis Management
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