The world’s eyes now turn from London to Strasbourg, France and Baden-Baden and Kehl, Germany, the homes of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s celebratory 60th anniversary summit. The leaders are set to discuss Afghanistan, chart NATO’s future course, welcome France into the integrated military command, add two new members (now 28 countries in total) and possibly name the next secretary general. NATO’s involvement in Afghanistan will most likely dominate the discussions.
NATO suffers from an identity problem. Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the alliance continues to struggle to define its strategic objectives. Divisions between members remain and the future is unclear.
Some feel NATO should become a global alliance of democracies by incorporating new members outside the region, while others argue for the United States to leave the alliance. But Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO’s current secretary general, believes the alliance is alive and kicking.
The question of NATO’s future depends on its relationship with Russia. “The eastward expansion of the alliance has unquestionably come at the expense of its relationship with Russia,” explains Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Russia perceives NATO enlargement as a threat to its security and an encroachment in its sphere of influence.
“The way out of this bind is to find a formula for encouraging Russia to become a stakeholder in Europe’s security order; a participant in, rather than an object of, NATO’s evolution.”
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer adds that NATO leaders must build “a true partnership with Russia.”
“There is more than enough for Russia and the alliance to do together — on Afghanistan, missile defense and terrorism.
“There is plenty of room for improvement on both sides. It is no secret that when it comes to Russia there are a wide range of views within NATO, from the very cautious to the forward-leaning. Until we narrow that range it will be difficult to engage Russia effectively.”
Gareth Evans, President of the International Crisis Group, and Alain Délétroz, the think tank’s Vice President, go one step further. They propose inviting Russia to seek membership in NATO.
“The problem with NATO’s expansion was not so much that it extended to Russia’s borders, but that it stopped there.”
Clearly, not everyone agrees with this strategy but many feel a more cooperative relationship with Russia is crucial for NATO. A delicate thaw in tensions is already underway and progress is possible.
None of this diminishes NATO’s past success, but the leaders should begin rethinking the way forward.
Photo from Charles Dharapak/Associated Press.
