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Tag: security

Establishing NATO’s “East Shield”

The situation on the Polish eastern border has demonstrated that threats to Poland and the European Union are no longer purely military. Hybrid warfare directed westwards is made up of a composite of orchestrated migration, cyberattacks, disinformation and acts of border sabotage. This complex threat landscape demands an equally sophisticated and multidimensional response.

December 8, 2025 - Alicja Zyguła Tomasz Stępniewski

NATO during the second Trump administration: Actions speak louder than words

Many recent assessments of US foreign policy suggest that the second presidential term of Donald Trump is having a disruptive and potentially destructive impact on transatlantic relations. This is particularly the case regarding NATO’s future and the American commitment to European security. However, fears that the administration will renege on the US commitment to European security and NATO are simply misplaced.

September 26, 2025 - Luca Ratti

When European security meets reality

Russia’s full-scale military invasion and occupation of Ukrainian territory has flagrantly violated the fragile post-Cold War security ecosystem shaped by the transatlantic community. The intricate structure of European security requires bold and decisive action to establish an effective and credible mechanism of deterrence and response. Such a mechanism must rest upon a multi-level construction of the transatlantic security community.

September 26, 2025 - Artur Gruszczak

NATO in times of crisis. Safeguarding the future of the Euro-Atlantic Alliance

At its 2025 summit in The Hague, NATO confronted a pivotal moment, agreeing on a historic pledge to spend five per cent of GDP on defence by 2035. The decision was welcomed by US President Donald Trump and signalled unity. However, it also exposed deep undercurrents of challenges facing the Alliance.

September 26, 2025 - Wojciech Michnik

Not all quiet on the Southern Flank

The 2025 NATO summit in The Hague marked a strategic turning point for European and Mediterranean security, compelling Allies to commit to a substantial increase in defence investment. This renewed focus is not solely about countering Russia on the Eastern Flank. It should also provide fresh resources to address enduring vulnerabilities and asymmetries across the South.

September 26, 2025 - Michele Testoni

Beyond compromise: towards the Europeanization of NATO’s Eastern Flank

NATO’s post-Cold War enlargement promised a stable and prosperous future for Central and Eastern Europe. Yet compromises meant to accommodate Russia left the Alliance’s Eastern Flank exposed for years. Today, with renewed uncertainty in transatlantic politics, European allies face the challenge of strengthening deterrence without relying too heavily on the United States.

September 25, 2025 - Eoin Micheál McNamara

If the EU wants peace, it needs to prepare for war

An interview with Andrius Kubilius, the European Union’s Commissioner for Defence and Space. Interviewers: Joanna Maria Stolarek and Adam Reichardt

July 8, 2025 - Adam Reichardt Andrius Kubilius Joanna Maria Stolarek

Nordic-Baltic total defence: easier said than done

NATO’s newest members Finland and Sweden are already net contributors to Allied security. Well known for their military capability, the two countries also bring a new approach into the Alliance: total defence. While military cooperation is intensifying, civil defence and civil-military cooperation need to be better integrated into Nordic-Baltic regional defence.

Finland and Sweden are known for their so-called “total defence” approach to security, in which national defence is not only a task for the military but for the whole of society. The security concept was primarily developed for three reasons: their history outside of NATO, geographical proximity to the Soviet/Russian threat, and large territories with small populations.

July 8, 2025 - Eric Adamson Minna Ålander

Estonia’s road to comprehensive security

Since regaining independence in 1991, Estonia has undergone a rapid and determined transformation, embracing modernization, democracy and western integration. Yet its path to NATO membership and security reform was anything but straightforward, as it was shaped by regional geopolitics, western hesitations, and the lessons of Nordic neighbours.

Social modernization has been unrelenting since Estonia restored its independence in 1991. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Estonia, like many other post-communist aspirants for European Union and NATO membership, was criticized by its western neighbours for following an overly “modernist” security policy outlook. Re-establishing the armed forces and consolidating border controls dominated its early outlook sometimes at the expense of civil defence, crisis management and cooperative security then prioritized in the West’s shifting post-Cold War security mindset.

July 8, 2025 - Eoin Micheál McNamara

Breaking ranks or building resilience? The role of women in the Latvian and Estonian armed forces

The steps taken by both Estonia and Latvia demonstrate a strong commitment not only to implementing comprehensive defence, but also embedding robust gender equality policies as an essential component for their armed forces. While notable progress has been made, especially in Latvia, where female participation rates are among the highest in NATO, persistent structural gaps remain, particularly in leadership representation, gender-sensitive planning, and strategic vision.

Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and its continued hybrid operations have fundamentally reshaped the security environment in Europe, particularly for the Baltic states. The region now finds itself on the front line of a broader confrontation between authoritarian aggression and democratic resilience. This shift has forced both NATO and the Baltic nations to reassess their strategic posture and reinforce defence preparedness across all domains.

July 8, 2025 - Sigita Struberga

Balancing values and interests. NATO’s constrained engagement in the South Caucasus

Considering the current turmoil in transatlantic affairs, NATO's room for manoeuvre in the South Caucasus is constrained by broader geopolitical rivalries and its limited capacity to prioritize this region as well. Russia maintains a strong military and hybrid influence in the region, while Iran’s ambitions and China’s expanding economic footprint further limit western leverage.

It has been a while since the NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative position for the Caucasus and Central Asia became vacant. Since its establishment in 2004, it has served as the eyes and the ears of the Alliance, facilitating the implementation of NATO’s foreign policy, monitoring internal political developments and reforms, and liaising with local governments.

July 8, 2025 - Nino Lezhava

Putin’s gift to NATO: the rise of the “New Nordic Shield”

When former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said, “You caused this. Look in the mirror” in 2022, he really hit the nail on the head. That simple statement perfectly sums up the massive shake-up in European security. Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine was meant to fracture the Alliance and stop NATO from growing.

July 5, 2025 - Inga Samoškaitė

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