Transatlantic Security Initiative

About

The Transatlantic Security Initiative’s mission is to contribute to a strong and resilient transatlantic relationship that is prepared to deter and defend, succeed in strategic competition, and harness emerging capabilities to address future threats and opportunities. This mission endures across changing political dynamics on both sides of the Atlantic and in the face of new and evolving threats.

TSI advances the interests and values of the United States and its transatlantic allies and partners through the Atlantic Council’s convening power, our cutting-edge research and substantive expertise, and through our extensive and influential network across the transatlantic community. We work in partnership with governments, the private sector, think tank community, academia and others. We hold expert public and private convenings, conduct research, organize study trips, and produce publications, commentary and analysis to shape and influence policy and debate on the biggest challenges facing the transatlantic relationship. Intellectual independence is a cornerstone of our work at all times.

Our pillars

Deterrence and defense in the Euro-Atlantic

Developing policy recommendations for deterring and defending against aggression aimed at allies and partners in the European theater.

Strategic competition

Assessing areas of strategic competition critical to transatlantic values and interests, such as the Russia-China partnership supporting Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine, and building collaboration with like-minded partners across the globe through bilateral and multilateral bodies.

Evolving threats and emerging capabilities

Creating strategies to harness emerging and disruptive technologies to maintain NATO’s competitive advantage and cohering a transatlantic approach to hybrid threats.

NATO programming

TSI at the NATO Summit

2025 NATO Summit in the Hague

Amid a historic year for the Alliance, the Atlantic Council led the charge in shaping the agenda for the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, informing the transatlantic community, and demonstrating NATO’s enduring value. Take a look at our footprint on the ground in The Hague as we look to operationalize the Alliance’s commitments to fortifying Euro-Atlantic security.

Explore Now

Trackers and Data Visualizations Jun 20, 2025

NATO Defense Spending Tracker

The Transatlantic Security Initiative’s NATO defense spending tracker delves into data and figures to analyze current defense spending trends.

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

New Atlanticist Jul 3, 2025

Finnish President Alexander Stubb on why The Hague summit marks ‘the birth of new NATO’

By Katherine Golden

There is significant “burden shifting” underway in NATO, which is “a good thing for Europe and for the Alliance right now,” Stubb said at an Atlantic Council Front Page event.

Conflict Defense Industry

Featured projects

NATO Defense Spending Tracker

The Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative has launched a real-time NATO Defense Spending Tracker to offer a clearer and fuller picture of how allies are contributing to collective defense and the development of real military capabilities.

Visit Tracker

NATO 7&5 Content Series

NATO’s seventy-fifth anniversary was a milestone in a remarkable story of reinvention, adaptation, and unity. We invited contributors to engage with the most pressing concerns ahead of the historic Washington summit and chart a path for the Alliance’s future.

Read the Essays

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.

Watch

Dispatch from the Bear Gap: assessing a key “collision point” between NATO and Russia

An Atlantic Council delegation traveled north of the Arctic Circle, to Svalbard Island in Norway, to the Bear Gap—a strategic chokepoint through which Russian submarines have to pass to reach the Atlantic Ocean.

Watch

On the ground in Lithuania with NATO allies deterring Russia

On a recent Atlantic Council trip to Lithuania, supported by the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense, Tressa Guenov and James A. Hursch visited the new camps provided by Lithuania for the current and future German and US forces. Here is what they saw.

Watch

Upcoming and Recent Events

Online Event Wed, August 20, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

From Alaska to Washington: Debriefing peace talks on Ukraine

Europe & Eurasia European Union Politics & Diplomacy Russia

Online Event Thu, July 3, 2025 • 8:00 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

Europe & Eurasia NATO Northern Europe Politics & Diplomacy

Expert commentary & analysis

New Atlanticist Aug 6, 2025

Dispatch from the Russian border: The Curonian Spit and the contest of the Baltic Sea

By Justina Budginaite-Froehly

A recent visit to Lithuania’s border with Kaliningrad reveals how the Baltic Sea has become one of Europe’s most contested maritime zones.

Eastern Europe NATO

New Atlanticist Aug 6, 2025

Europe’s play to keep Trump happy cannot come at the expense of a longer-term strategy

By Torrey Taussig, Josh Lipsky

Even as the EU prioritizes defense and security interests with the US, it could come at the cost of economic and political cohesion in the bloc.

European Union NATO

New Atlanticist Jul 23, 2025

To meet NATO’s 5 percent benchmark, allies need more industrial capacity. Here’s how they can build it.

By James Hursch, Kristen Taylor

Without more industrial muscle to increase defense production, the positive momentum coming out of The Hague summit could grind to a halt.

Defense Industry Europe & Eurasia

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

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

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

all commentary & analysis

In-depth research & reports

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

Issue Brief Jun 5, 2025

The world needs a maritime ‘elite league’ to combat rogue shipping

By Elisabeth Braw

The International Maritime Organization was created to address ocean safety. As member states have begun to erode and undermine the organization, there is need for coalitions of the willing or a maritime “elite league’ to come together and enforce stricter enforcement of international maritime rules and regulations.

Economy & Business International Organizations

Issue Brief Jun 2, 2025

For NATO in 2027, European leadership will be key to deterrence against Russia

By Scott Lee, Andrew Michta, Peter Jones, and Lisa Bembenick

NATO lacks the operational integration, logistics, and joint force capabilities needed to quickly counter Russian mass and tempo near its borders. With the United States increasingly focused elsewhere, how can the Alliance retain military superiority in 2027 without overreliance on US military might?

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

Issue Brief May 30, 2025

The frontier is the front line: On climate resilience for infrastructure and supplies in Canada’s Arctic

By Jeffrey Reynolds, Kristen Taylor

The front lines of strategic competition now run through the Arctic. Ottawa must do more to enhance its military readiness and infrastructure preparedness in the region.

Climate Change & Climate Action Defense Policy

Issue Brief Mar 31, 2025

Why NATO’s Defence Planning Process will transform the Alliance for decades to come

By Angus Lapsley and Pierre Vandier

NATO’s successes over the last seventy-six years are the result of constant adaptation, and the Alliance is now going through its most profound changes since the end of the Cold War.

Europe & Eurasia International Organizations

Issue Brief Feb 20, 2025

Issue brief: A NATO strategy for countering Russia

By Ian Brzezinski, Ryan Arick

Russia poses the most direct and growing threat to NATO member states’ security. This threat now includes the war in Ukraine, militarization in the Arctic, hybrid warfare, and arms control violations. Despite NATO’s military and economic superiority, a unified and effective strategy is essential to counter Russia’s aggression.

Cybersecurity Defense Technologies

all in-depth research

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Our team

Staff

Torrey Taussig

Director

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia

Staff

Philippe Dickinson

Deputy Director

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Chinese East Asia

Staff

Kimberly Talley

Associate Director

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

NATO Security & Defense

Staff

Kristen Taylor

Assistant Director

Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia European Union

Experts

Fellow

Anca Agachi

Nonresident Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Africa Conflict

Fellow

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About

Our pillars

Deterrence and defense in the Euro-Atlantic

Strategic competition

Evolving threats and emerging capabilities

NATO programming

2025 NATO Summit in the Hague

NATO Defense Spending Tracker

Four fundamental questions the NATO Summit did not answer

Finnish President Alexander Stubb on why The Hague summit marks ‘the birth of new NATO’

Featured projects

NATO Defense Spending Tracker

NATO 7&5 Content Series

Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Europe’s security after the NATO Summit

Dispatch from the Bear Gap: assessing a key “collision point” between NATO and Russia

On the ground in Lithuania with NATO allies deterring Russia

Upcoming and Recent Events

From Alaska to Washington: Debriefing peace talks on Ukraine

Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Europe’s security after the NATO Summit

Sweden’s foreign minister on the 2025 NATO Summit agenda

Expert commentary & analysis

Dispatch from the Russian border: The Curonian Spit and the contest of the Baltic Sea

Europe’s play to keep Trump happy cannot come at the expense of a longer-term strategy

To meet NATO’s 5 percent benchmark, allies need more industrial capacity. Here’s how they can build it.

Experts react: NATO allies agreed to a 5 percent defense spending target in a low-drama summit. Now what?

Expect NATO’s new spending pledge to be overshadowed by weakening US commitment and inaction on Ukraine

What counts as ‘defense’ in NATO’s potential 5 percent spending goal?

In-depth research & reports

Immediate steps that Europe can take to enhance its role in NATO defense

The world needs a maritime ‘elite league’ to combat rogue shipping

For NATO in 2027, European leadership will be key to deterrence against Russia

The frontier is the front line: On climate resilience for infrastructure and supplies in Canada’s Arctic

Why NATO’s Defence Planning Process will transform the Alliance for decades to come

Issue brief: A NATO strategy for countering Russia

Stay connected

Our team

Experts

Explore the program

Content

Kepe quoted in alfa.lt on NATO Summit

Ignac interviewed by CNBC on the the Washington Summit Declaration

Ignac interviewed by Euronews Serbia on the bridge to NATO and the Washington Summit

Ignac interviewed by N1 Serbia on the expectations for the Washington NATO Summit

Ignac interviewed by N1 Croatia on the agenda for the Washington NATO Summit

Our experts read between the lines of NATO’s Washington summit communiqué

Jeglinskas in Washington Times on Ukraine’s path to NATO

How NATO can prove its enduring relevance at the Washington summit

Townsend in the Chinese version of the Wall Street Journal on Biden’s health and performance during the NATO Summit

Brzezinski featured in AP News on NATO Summit deliverables

Events

Spain’s foreign minister on Madrid’s approach to European and global security

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