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North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

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As a military alliance with roots in the Cold War, NATO's strategy and purpose have had to shift since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. RAND has assisted U.S. and European defense establishments by recommending expansion strategies; analyzing activities in the Balkans and Afghanistan, areas outside NATO's traditional focus; and advising decisionmakers on issues critical to NATO's mission and the interests of its member nations.

Commentary
Avoiding a Long War in Ukraine
The United States has a strong interest in avoiding a long war in Ukraine. Although Washington cannot alone determine the war's duration, it can take steps to make an eventual negotiated peace more likely.
Jan 25, 2023
Commentary
A New Era? NATO's Prioritisation of Human Security in an Insecure World
Human security and NATO's role and responsibility to protect civilians during conflict saw new prioritization in the alliance's 2022 Strategic Concept. While much progress has been made, more could be done to ensure the alliance can deliver on these commitments.
Aug 10, 2022

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Commentary
Russia's Ties with the West Rhyme
With Vladimir Putin seeking constitutional changes that could allow him to stay as president until the 2030s, Russia's strained relations with the West may persist. But if it chooses, Russia can chart a more dynamic future with closer Western ties.
Mar 23, 2020
Blog
Civic Engagement and Health, the State of the Union, Better Sleep: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the link between civic engagement and health, policy insights from the State of the Union address, what couples can do to improve their sleep, and more.
Feb 7, 2020
Commentary
What Provokes Putin's Russia?
Even with an understanding of what Russia considers to be redlines, predicting its reactions is challenging. An analysis of past instances of Russian escalation—and instances when redlines were crossed but Russia did not respond—offers guidance for U.S. and NATO deterrence efforts.
Jan 29, 2020
Report
Turkey's Nationalist Course and How It Affects U.S.-Turkish Relations
America's longstanding partnership with Turkey, a powerful NATO ally, has become strained in recent years. The two countries' interests are not as aligned as they once were, and tensions between Turkey and Europe have exacerbated these strains. What can be done to sustain the U.S.-Turkish relationship?
Jan 14, 2020
Report
Understanding Russia's Hostile Measures and How to Counter Them
Russia has used hostile measures to sow disorder, weaken democratic institutions, and undermine NATO cohesion. But it also has a long track record of strategic shortfalls and even ineptitude. Exploring opportunities to deter, prevent, and counter Russia's behavior is critical in both the gray zone and conventional war.
Jan 7, 2020
Report
How to Counter Russia's Gray Zone Tactics
Russia uses gray zone tactics—ambiguous actions that target domestic or international public opinion—across Europe. Wargames found that vulnerability to these tactics varies. And they can be countered by hardening Western societies against Russian propaganda and attempts to undermine democracy.
Dec 11, 2019
Report
Gaming Gray Zone Tactics: Design Considerations for a Structured Strategic Game
The RAND Arroyo Center developed a strategic-level structured card game examining a gray zone competition between Russia and the West in the Balkans to better understand the nature of a gray zone competition with Russia.
Dec 11, 2019
Report
Envisioning a Comprehensive Peace Agreement for Afghanistan
Throughout years of attempts to negotiate an end to the war in Afghanistan, the conflict parties articulated only the barest outlines of envisioned outcomes. A new detailed picture of a political settlement includes options for realistic compromises. It is presented in the format of a peace accord to show what the outcome of negotiations could look like.
Dec 10, 2019
Blog
Hong Kong, Reducing Crime, Medical Marijuana: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on what the U.S. can do about Hong Kong, reducing crime in Chicago, medical marijuana, and more.
Dec 6, 2019
Commentary
Is NATO Brain Dead?
French President Macron's remark about the brain death of NATO was provoked by President Trump's October 6 decision, since modified, to pull all U.S. troops out of Syria. Macron is right to wonder how Trump would respond to any threat to European security. But he is wrong to attribute this uncertainty to diminishing support for the alliance among all Americans.
Dec 3, 2019
Report
Understanding Russia's Intervention in Syria
Russia's military intervention in the Syrian civil war began in 2015. This decision was the result of an extraordinary set of political and military circumstances. What might cause Moscow to take similar actions in other conflicts beyond its immediate neighborhood?
Oct 31, 2019
Report
How Capable Are Russia's Armed Forces?
Since 2008, the Russian military has become more capable, not only of defending its territory but also of launching invasions against its neighbors. Russia's defense spending is now in decline, but NATO policymakers and defense planners should continue to monitor its military improvements.
Oct 29, 2019
Report
Exploring the Role Nuclear Weapons Could Play in Deterring Russian Threats to the Baltic States
This report examines what role nonstrategic nuclear weapons could play in deterring a Russian invasion of the Baltic states, where the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's current posture is weak.
Oct 24, 2019
Report
Proposal for a Revised Regional Order in Post-Soviet Europe and Eurasia
Disputes over the regional order in post-Soviet Europe and Eurasia are at the core of the breakdown in relations between Russia and the West and have created major challenges for the states caught in between. A new approach to the order could boost security and prosperity in the region.
Oct 8, 2019
Commentary
Russia's Strategy in the Black Sea: How NATO Can Up Its Game
The Black Sea region is a central locus of the competition between Russia and the West for the future of Europe. In March 2019, RAND brought together a group of experts to discuss Moscow's strategy there—and what Western countries can do to counter it.
Sep 24, 2019
Report
Russia, NATO, and Black Sea Security Strategy: Regional Perspectives from a 2019 Workshop
The authors report workshop discussions of four topics related to the strategic context in the Black Sea: Russia's strategy in the region; Russian military and soft-power instruments; Western goals and interests; and elements of Western strategy.
Sep 24, 2019
Multimedia
Extending Russia
What policies could the United States adopt to stress Russia’s military, its economy, or the regime’s political standing at home and abroad? In this congressional briefing summary, former Ambassador James Dobbins, Raphael Cohen, and Howard Shatz discuss Russia’s economic, political, and military vulnerabilities and anxieties; nonviolent, cost-imposing options that the United States and its allies could pursue to stress Russia; and the costs, benefits, and implications of those options.
Sep 5, 2019
Blog
Synthetic Opioids, Mass Shootings, Prison Education: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap looks at fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, how to address mass shootings, higher education in prison, and more.
Aug 30, 2019
Report
How Willing Are NATO Members to Defend Their Baltic Allies?
What factors would make NATO allies more or less likely to respond to a Russian attack? And what can be done to reduce their vulnerability to Russian influence and to increase alliance cohesion?
Aug 29, 2019
Report
NATO's Amphibious Forces: Command and Control of a Multibrigade Alliance Task Force
At the request of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, RAND researchers facilitated three wargaming events exploring how to leverage and enhance the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)'s existing amphibious capacity by organizing extant national forces into a coherent multibrigade command and control (C2) structure.
Jun 27, 2019

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RAND Topic:
North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Topic Synonyms:
NATO;
North Atlantic Alliance;
OTAN

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