In a keynote speech to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NPA) in Istanbul on Monday (21 November 2016), Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg highlighted the strength and unity of the Alliance. He noted that NPA members play a critical role in shaping national defence and security policies, and helping to build public understanding and support for NATO’s mission in a more uncertain world.
Content Wars
16 Nov. 2016Using contemporary communication methods in the places where we consume our media fix, Daesh have dominated the content war, effectively terrorising some audiences while attracting others with their narrative.
Can Russia afford its military modernisation plans?
21 Oct. 2016Despite economic challenges, Russia appears to be making substantial progress towards the goals of its military modernisation efforts. An economist explains.
The Gulf monarchies' complex fight against Daesh
28 Sep. 2016Learn more about how the Gulf monarchies and Jordan are supporting the fight against so-called Islamic State on three fronts: military, financial and cultural.
Cyber resilience: protecting NATO’s nervous system
12 Aug. 2016Without the right information, at the right time, in the right place, the ability of NATO commanders to take a decision is compromised. Information technology provides the glue for command and control capability.
On Deterrence
05 Aug. 2016Deterrence is back. After the end of the Cold War, the Alliance focused less on territorial defence and more on out-of-area crisis management, first in the western Balkans and later also in Afghanistan. That changed in 2014 because of concerns about Russia’s aggressive actions towards Ukraine as well as the rise of so-called Islamic State (or Daesh) in Syria and Iraq.
Energy security: what's at stake?
07 Jul. 2016Energy security – there’s much more at stake than cheap, reliable sources of energy. It’s about independence.
Nuclear deterrence and the Alliance in the 21st century
17 Jun. 2016Deterrence is back: Major and regional powers are modernising their nuclear forces and giving them a central role in their broader strategic posture. NATO needs to re-establish a robust and credible defence and deterrent.
Cyber defence
08 Jun. 2016Cyber attacks can affect most areas of our lives and are increasing in speed, sophistication and diversity. Should NATO do more to contribute to cyber defence?
NATO: changing gear on cyber defence
08 Jun. 2016The public-private character of how the Internet is governed highlights the need to work together – a key issue when reviewing NATO’s role. Cooperation between like-minded states and international organisations remains the best way to address many cyber risks.
Standing by Afghanistan: the strategic choice
04 May. 2016Afghan forces have proved to be fierce fighters against terrorists and insurgents but they still need support – and it is in our interest to provide it.
Securing the Nordic-Baltic region
17 Mar. 2016How are NATO Allies and partners, Finland and Sweden, working together to defend this strategically important region in the current security context?
The rise of Iran as a regional power: Shia empowerment and its limits
24 Feb. 2016Teheran has patronized Shia parties and militias, successfully pushing back Saudi influence and increasing its own. This is similar to Moscow’s strategy toward Third World communist movements during the Cold War. But this strategy could be costly in the long run.
The low oil price environment: Implications for NATO
04 Feb. 2016The decline of the global oil price may affect the stability of oil-producing countries in NATO’s neighbourhood. If so, NATO may end up with a perfect storm right on its doorstep.
Odessa: Ukraine’s secret weapon?
18 Jan. 2016Odessa has been attacked. Many times. But it has found a way to make the attacks bring people together. NATO Review travelled to the southern Ukrainian region to find out the secret of its success.
Some key moments of this year
18 Dec. 2015NATO Review asked the cartoonist Rytis Daukantas to illustrate some of the key moments of this year.
Don’t forget the Black Sea
20 Nov. 2015NATO Review goes on patrol with Ukraine’s Black Sea border guards, who have themselves been victims of terror attacks at sea.
Why patrolling the Black Sea just got more dangerous
19 Nov. 2015When Russia annexed Crimea, it affected the whole of the Black Sea region. NATO Review went out on patrol with Ukraine’s border guards to see how they have adapted and hear about how they have already suffered fatalities.
Russia’s approach to ISIL: the hidden benefit of evil
30 Oct. 2015By attracting jihadists from the North Caucasus, ISIL has actually helped relieve Russia of an internal threat. So countering ISIL is not the real reason for Moscow’s recent intervention in Syria.
The principle of collective defence is at the very heart of NATO’s founding treaty. It remains a unique and enduring principle that binds its members together, committing them to protect each other and setting a spirit of solidarity within the Alliance.
NATO constantly reviews and transforms its policies, capabilities and structures to ensure that it can continue to address current and future challenges to the freedom and security of its members. Presently, Allied forces are required to carry out a wide range of missions across several continents; the Alliance needs to ensure that its armed forces remain modern, deployable, and capable of sustained operations.
Many of the challenges NATO faces require cooperation with other stakeholders in the international community. Over the past 25 years, the Alliance has developed a network of regional partnership frameworks with 41 partner countries from the Euro-Atlantic area, the Mediterranean and the Gulf region, as well as individual relationships with other partners across the globe. NATO pursues dialogue and practical cooperation with these nations on a wide range of political and security-related issues. NATO’s partnerships are beneficial to all involved and contribute to improved security for the broader international community.
NATO is an active and leading contributor to peace and security on the international stage. It promotes democratic values and is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. However, if diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military capacity needed to undertake crisis-management operations, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organisations.