Amid Questions Over Its Strategic Purpose, NATO Proves to Be Resilient

Amid Questions Over Its Strategic Purpose, NATO Proves to Be Resilient
President Donald Trump speaks during a working lunch with NATO members that have met their financial commitments to the the organization, in Watford, England, Dec. 4, 2019 (AP photo by Evan Vucci).

Leaders from NATO member states gathered in the U.K. this week for a two-day meeting to celebrate the alliance’s 70th anniversary. U.S. President Donald Trump is taking credit for increased military spending on the part of some NATO members, a frequent point of contention between the U.S. and its trans-Atlantic allies. But the challenges facing the alliance go well beyond that issue, as some European leaders are asking much more fundamental questions about the very essence and structure of NATO itself. To discuss the challenges facing NATO, WPR’s Elliot Waldman is joined by Claudia Major, a security expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

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Relevant Articles on WPR:

Europe Wants ‘Strategic Autonomy,’ but That’s Much Easier Said Than Done
Macron Is Right About NATO and the EU, but Will Europe Listen?
NATO at 70: Toward European Strategic Responsibility
As NATO Turns 70, the European Security Debate Comes Full Circle

Trend Lines is produced and edited by Peter Dörrie, a freelance journalist and analyst focusing on security and resource politics in Africa. You can follow him on Twitter at @peterdoerrie.

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