Stop Worrying and Learn to Love the (Soft)Transactional Approach to NATO
Vojtěch Bahenský
/ Ed. 19. 11. 2020
After a period of optimism about the future of NATO following renewed threat of Russia after 2014, the era of the Trump presidency brought significant anxiety into discussions about North Atlantic Alliance cohesion and longevity.
The authors argue that while it might be tempting to see the Trump era as an aberration in transatlantic relations, there are in fact major structural forces undermining some of the pillars of NATO, including its unity and mutual sense of friendship among its members. The paper suggests recasting NATO as a more pragmatic alliance, which may require greater commitment from the European members, but at the same time allow NATO to withstand structural changes in both domestic and international arenas.
