- Question
What is the future of NATO?
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was formed in 1949 as a Western military alliance to deal with the growing threat of the Soviet Union. However, since the break-up of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, it has struggled to define itself in the 21st century. This has led some to speculate whether the military alliance has a future?
NATO will be dismantled
This position holds that NATO will eventually be dismantled, no longer serving a real purpose. It argues that the alliance is too expensive, that it belongs to the Cold War era that produced it, and that the EU is poised to take a greater role in European defence and security.
NATO will continue its traditional role
This position holds that NATO will continue in its traditional role. It argues that the alliance remains an effective deterrent against Russian aggression, and that this enduring security function keeps it relevant rather than obsolete or in need of reinvention.
NATO will have a renewed role in the 21st century
This position holds that NATO will take on a renewed role in the 21st century. It argues that the alliance will increasingly operate beyond Europe — extending its stabilising missions to regions such as Afghanistan, North Africa and the Middle East — rather than fading or dissolving.