Transatlantic Relations and Nato

Abstract

The current international situation presents significant security challenges to Europe and its allies. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has served as the linchpin of Europe–US security cooperation over the last 60 years and continues to play a significant role in their shared defence and in promoting their political aims in the wider world. The importance of NATO was reaffirmed last year by the agreement of the New Strategic Concept. However, this agreement also left many issues unresolved. These include, among other issues, NATO's future role as the United States concentrates on global challenges, mainly in Asia, rather than on Europe; Europe's weakened determination to play an adequate role in facing those challenges together with the US; the effects of military spending cuts amplified by the economic crisis; and the future of US military presence in Europe. It is therefore critical that Europeans, now more than ever, consider their capabilities and contributions to NATO in particular and to security and defence in general. As the European-led effort in Libya now clearly shows, Europe must bolster its capacity to confront threats and to project power when needed, while working within the framework of NATO and the European Security and Defence Policy, in coordination with the US.