How would Mr. Solana answer the following question: “NATO and Russia: How Can We Broaden Cooperation to Enhance Security?” The former NATO Secretary General and former High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, along with other very high ranked guest speakers tackled the pressing issue of Transatlantic relations vis-à-vis Russia 
during a day long conference, on December 10, 2010, organized by the Center on Transatlantic Relations and John Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Mr. Solana’s panel composed of high-level political figures, such as Jakko Laajava, Under-Secretary of State Foreign and Security Policy of Finland, Huseyin Diriöz, NATO Assistant Secretary General, and others, expressed their opinions in very casual manners on the issue of NATO and Russia. Mr. Solana opened the discussion through a short and concise presentation based on four points. First, he expressed the necessity to increase and deepen the relations between NATO and Russia. Second, he argued that Ukraine and Georgia should be included in the next wave of NATO enlargement. Third, he claimed that Turkey should be part of the EU, even though EU-Turkey relations have had their share of difficulties. Fourth, the degree of cooperation between the EU and NATO needs to increase in order to adequately face the consequences of the current economic climax.
These four points highlighted by Mr. Solana reflect extremely well the current challenges faced by the EU and the transatlantic community. On one side, only through rapprochement between NATO and Russia can the transatlantic community increase its links with Russia allowing better cooperation in dealing international security matters more adequately and coherently. The recent Lisbon Summit, which emphasized NATO-Russia relations, is a perfect example of this common aspiration. On the other side, Mr. Solana indirectly argued that the transatlantic community should solve their differences over contentious matters such as: NATO enlargement, Turkey-EU-Cyprus relations blocking NATO and ESDP operations, and defense spending. The argument is simple, only a strong, unified Euro-Atlantic community can successfully interact with Russia. It is common understanding that Russia is perceived as a decreasing power, which needs to be incorporated through deeper political, military and economic ties to the Euro-Atlantic community. This last year, Russia political elites have softened their positions and sought to increase cooperation with the Euro-Atlantic community on fundamental matters such as Iran, the missile shield, and the new START Treaty. Whether each of these issues is solved is another story. However, a stable Russia is in the interest of Europeans and Americans in order to maintain a steady regional balance of power. Russia’s decline would undeniably be a synonym of greater regional and ultimately international insecurity leading to possible increase and strengthen of radical Islamic terrorist networks in Russia’s neighborhood.
A rapprochement, followed by an integration of Russia into the structures of the Euro-Atlantic community should be seen as a pressing foreign policy priority for Americans and Europeans.
