FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Spain to Lead New NATO Spearhead Force in 2016

New Atlanticist
Jul 16, 2025

Reading between the lines of the new France-UK nuclear entente

By
Léonie Allard

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer released a “truly historic” declaration on nuclear planning on July 10.

France
Nuclear Deterrence

Spain to Lead New NATO Spearhead Force in 2016

New Atlanticist
May 27, 2025

British ambassador to the US: The UK must ‘become less dependent on America, while remaining inseparably linked’

By
Peter Mandelson

In speaking at the Atlantic Council’s 2025 Christopher J. Makins Lecture, Peter Mandelson outlined how the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe can foster peace through military, economic, and technological strength.

Conflict
Defense Industry

Spain to Lead New NATO Spearhead Force in 2016

New Atlanticist
Jan 27, 2025

The case for a US-UK trade and investment agreement

By
L. Daniel Mullaney

As US President Donald Trump begins his second term, the United Kingdom is the right partner for the United States, and now is the right time for a deal.

Economy & Business
Politics & Diplomacy

Featured Event

Public Event
Tue, May 27, 2025 • 9:00 am ET

The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson on Britain in an enduring transatlantic relationship

British Ambassador to the United States The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson speaks at the 2025 Christopher J. Makins lecture to discuss the significance of the transatlantic relationship during this unprecedented geopolitical period.

Economy & Business
Europe & Eurasia
Politics & Diplomacy
Security & Defense


Program

The Europe Center promotes the transatlantic leadership and strategies required to ensure a strong Europe.

EXPLORE THE PROGRAM

Content

Spanish paratroopers in Afghanistan, Sept. 27, 2008

NATOSource

Feb 5, 2015

Spain to Lead New NATO Spearhead Force in 2016

By Naftali Bendavid, Wall Street Journal

Six European countries said Thursday they would rotate the leadership of NATO’s new rapid-response force, and the U.S. pledged to contribute intelligence, airlift capacity and other key support.

NATO Security & Defense
Royal Marines training in Norway, Feb. 17, 2014

NATOSource

Feb 5, 2015

Defense Minister Fallon: Britain to Lead ‘High Readiness’ NATO Force

By BBC and Reuters

From BBC:  The UK will play a lead role in a “high readiness” Nato force that will be established in Eastern Europe, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has announced.

NATO Security & Defense
British figher jet intercepts Russian Tu-95 Bear bomber, Sept. 16, 2014

NATOSource

Jan 29, 2015

British Fighter Jets Scrambled to Intercept Russian Bombers

By Kyle MacLellan, Reuters

British Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian Bear long-range bombers which had flown close to UK airspace, Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Thursday.

Russia United Kingdom
Paratroopers training in Northumberland, Dec. 2, 2014

NATOSource

Jan 20, 2015

UK Considering Shrinking Army to 60,000, Says Former Minister

By Ben Farmer, Telegraph

Ministry of Defence officials are examining cutting the British Army to just 60,000 soldiers, a former coalition defence minister has claimed.

NATO Security & Defense
Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama, Jan. 16, 2015

NATOSource

Jan 16, 2015

David Cameron ‘Endangering Special Relationship with America’ by not Protecting Defense Spending

By Ben Riley-Smith, Telegraph

David Cameron will damage Britain’s special relationship with America if he fails to keep defence spending above 2 per cent of GDP, the UK’s former defence attaché in Washington DC has warned.

NATO Security & Defense
British Prime Minister David Cameron and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Oct. 29, 2011

NATOSource

Jan 12, 2015

Canada Rebuffs Call To Join British-Led NATO-UN Force

By Murray Brewster, Canadian Press

Canada has quietly rebuffed a call from Britain to join a multi-national expeditionary force that Prime Minister David Cameron’s government was promoting in light of heightened tensions with Russia.

International Organizations NATO
HMS Ambush, July 15, 2013

NATOSource

Jan 9, 2015

Britain Again Forced to Ask US For Help in Tracking ‘Russian Submarine’

By Victoria Ward, Telegraph

The Ministry of Defence has again been forced to call for US military assistance to help track a suspected Russian submarine spotted off the Scottish coast.

Russia United Kingdom
USAF KC-135Es at RAF Mildenhall, March 20, 2003

NATOSource

Jan 8, 2015

US Announces it Will Close 15 Military Bases in Europe

By Department of Defense

The Department of Defense announced today the consolidation of some U.S. infrastructure in Europe, including the return of 15 sites to their host nations.

Europe & Eurasia Germany
British soldiers in Afghanistan, Aug. 12, 2014

NATOSource

Jan 5, 2015

Britain May Cut Defense Spending Below NATO 2% Target

By Rosa Prince, Telegraph

A future Conservative government could cut spending on the Armed Forces to below two per cent of the country’s budget, David Cameron has admitted.

NATO Security & Defense

Defense Industrialist

Dec 18, 2014

Devolving the Excesses of Jointness

By James Hasik

  Should the US follow the UK’s lead by seeking smaller scale in defense? On Wednesday afternoon the Atlantic Council hosted a talk by Philip Dunne, the British Minister for Defence Equipment, Support, and Technology—the MinDEST. As he himself noted, Dunne is Whitehall’s equivalent of the Pentagon’s Frank Kendall, the Under Secretary of Defense for […]

United Kingdom
Load More

Experts

Fellow

Tobias Ellwood

Distinguished Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative

Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense

Fellow

Richard Hurowitz

Nonresident senior fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Expert

Jon Wilks

Distinguished Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Crisis Management

Fellow

Andrea Rigoni

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Fellow

Ed Owen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Lisa Aronsson

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Europe & Eurasia NATO
Load More