The War Against Ukraine Shapes NATO’s Future
The Russian invasion of Ukraine revitalized NATO and marked the return of US leadership in the alliance. However, the coming months may prove more difficult for NATO to navigate due to a series of dilemmas that could endanger its cohesion, argue Dominika Kunertova and Niklas Masuhr in this CSS Policy Perspective.
Key Points:
- NATO countries should establish a shared understanding of their course of collective action in case the war in Ukraine escalates either horizontally or vertically.
- NATO countries need to step up armaments production to maintain the supply of weaponry to Ukraine while replenishing their own stocks to mitigate acrimonious distribution debates.
- NATO is likely headed towards more contentious political debates on how to position itself vis-à-vis both Moscow and Kyiv, endangering its cohesion.
- NATO countries need to be clear in communicating their resolve for deterrence and their strategic objectives to Russia. Draining Russian capabilities in isolation is not a viable way forward.