The U.S. and NATO in a Changing World

As NATO Allies meet in Washington to celebrate the Alliance’s 75th anniversary, war rages in Europe. When it comes to denouncing Russian aggression and voicing support for Ukraine, NATO unity is the strongest it has been in years. But allies are not entirely aligned on how to prioritize threats or respond to them and continue to disagree on prospects for enlarging the alliance, including Ukraine.

Much hinges on the United States’ future role. Long the security guarantor for the alliance, the U.S. has for just as long been frustrated at allies’ perceived free-riding. Some U.S. political leaders question the sustainability of Washington’s long-standing commitment to Europe given other global priorities. On the other side of the water, when Europeans talk about taking on a greater share of the load, they often pair this with a desire for more policy independence from Washington. Some also wonder what would spur European member countries to engage in the kind of planning, coordination, and reimagination of national interests that would be required to transition away from reliance on the United States.

This conversation features Matt Duss, Executive vice-president at the Center for International Policy, Dr. Constanze Stelzenmüller, Director and Fritz Stern Chair, Center on the United States and Europe, Brookings Institution, Alexander Velez-Green, Senior Policy Advisor, The Heritage Foundation, and former National Security Advisor to U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Stephen Pomper (moderator), Chief of Policy at the International Crisis Group.