Where Does NATO's Enlargement Lead To?

Abstract

The aim of this article is to show from the perspective of offensive realism the implications of NATO's post-Cold War enlargement. These implications should be seen on multiple levels: (a) the security of the new members of the North Atlantic Alliance, (b) the USA and the cohesiveness of NATO, (c) Russia, (d) the outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine, (e) the militarization of relations in Europe, and (c) the global international system. The war in Ukraine is forcing the U.S. to make compromises with Russia and China, and this calls into question NATO's continued ‘open door’ policy.