Europe, Global Governance, Power & Security More in the Med: How NATO Can Refocus its Efforts in the South and Italy Can Lead the Charge

Our Visiting Fellow Ambassador Alexander Vershbow has released a new report for the Atlantic Council, exploring how NATO can bolster its strategy in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean.

As NATO commemorates its seventieth anniversary in 2019, the Alliance has made considerable progress in restoring deterrence in the east against an aggressive, revanchist Russia. But, NATO continues to fall short in its “southern strategy.” This is not only a missed opportunity to mitigate the real, and growing, threats and challenges along NATO’s Mediterranean and Black Sea frontiers; the lack of a more effective southern strategy also puts at risk the solidarity and cohesion that are essential to transatlantic security.

It is no longer enough for the Alliance to focus on dialogue, security cooperation, and projecting stability alone in the south. In an era of intensifying great power competition, NATO’s defense, deterrence, and containment mission in the region is becoming increasingly urgent and important. NATO’s approach needs to adapt to reflect these new realities.

Read more on the Atlantic Council's website >>