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NATO

A Cold War military alliance, undergirded by U.S. nuclear weapons and conventional military power

75 years after its founding and more than three decades since the Soviet Union collapsed, the NATO alliance now includes 32 members and shares a 1,600-mile strategic border with Russia. As the war in Ukraine rages, new questions are emerging about the United States’ leadership of the alliance and the possibility of European strategic autonomy. Analysis by Defense Priorities experts seeks to explain the broader implications of the continuing U.S. role in NATO.

NATO EXPERTS

Benjamin
Friedman

Policy Director

Defense Priorities

Jennifer
Kavanagh

Senior Fellow & Director of Military Analysis

Defense Priorities

Brian
Blankenship

Non-Resident Fellow

Defense Priorities

Christopher
McCallion

Fellow

Defense Priorities

Daniel
DePetris

Fellow

Defense Priorities

Daniel
Davis

Senior Fellow & Military Expert

Defense Priorities

William
Ruger

Non-Resident Senior Fellow

Defense Priorities

Mike
Sweeney

Non-Resident Fellow

Defense Priorities

Rajan
Menon

Former Non-Resident Senior Fellow

Defense Priorities

Gil
Barndollar

Non-Resident Fellow

Defense Priorities

op-edNATO, Alliances, Europe and Eurasia, Nuclear weapons

Is Europe Willing To Trade a U.S. Nuclear Guarantee for a French One?

By Daniel DePetris

March 21, 2025

President Donald Trump has done more in the last eight weeks to shock Europe into taking its defense more seriously than the Biden administration […]

op-edEurope and Eurasia, NATO

Europe’s Best Bet for Protecting Postwar Ukraine

By Rajan Menon

March 19, 2025

op-edNATO, Alliances, Europe and Eurasia

Washington must get out of Europe’s way on defense

By Jennifer Kavanagh

March 17, 2025

Symposia: Antique alliance: Rethinking NATO at 75

Ahead of the Washington, DC, NATO summit, which will mark 75 years since its founding, Defense Priorities (DEFP) organized this symposium to stimulate critical thinking about the military alliance. Top experts shared their insights in an effort to inform and improve U.S. policy. Each contributor provided an answer to the same question: “What is the biggest U.S. policy mistake with regard to NATO?”