2017 in Review: NATO

Threatened from Within? NATO, Trump and Institutional Adaptation

Despite the impressive adjustments it has made against a revanchist Russia, Martin Zapfe believes NATO’s overall defense position remains weak. In the near-term, for example, the Alliance will have to cope with the strategic divergences that are bedeviling European and transatlantic relations. While regionalization and greater European investments in defense might offer some respite, the stage is set for potentially serious rifts in future crises.

To the publication

No. 218: NATO’s Framework Nations Concept

According to Rainer L Glatz and Martin Zapfe, NATO’s Framework Nations Concept (FNC) currently serves as a practical guideline for defense cooperation within the Alliance. But what does the FNC, with its emphasis on national sovereignty, actually mean for defense cooperation? To help provide an answer, Glatz and Zapfe here review 1) the three different FNC approaches that exist within NATO; 2) the opportunities and limits of the FNC; and 3) how the FNC’s approach to cooperation might be especially attractive to states that are not NATO members.

To the publication

No. 213: NATO: Pushing Boundaries for Resilience

Tim Prior argues that addressing the security vulnerabilities created by global connectivity and interdependence is at the heart of the Alliance’s current push to increase its resilience. However, this push presents a challenge to NATO, contends Prior, as it will require a cultural change within the Alliance that recognizes 1) the need for strong cooperation with civilian organizations and the private sector; and 2) support for the building of resilience beyond NATO’s territorial borders.

To the publication

For more information on issues and events that shape our world, please visit the Center for Security Studies´ publications catalogue here.