Transatlantic Security After 75 Years of NATO: A Conversation with U.S. European Command

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), arguably one of the most successful alliances in history. Yet, after the fall of the Soviet Union, some questioned whether NATO was still needed and relevant. Putin’s 2022 unprovoked re-invasion of Ukraine, which instigated the largest war in Europe since World War II, put those questions to rest. Even as the United States attempts to address serious threats in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, Washington now confronts “a combination of challenges and threats in the Euro-Atlantic area that we have not seen in more than thirty years,” according to congressional testimony last month by the commander of U.S. European Command (USEUCOM).

So why should Americans care about security in Europe? What are Russia and China up to on the continent? How is the war in Ukraine going? What’s the status of the alliance and what investments are needed to strengthen readiness and deterrence?

To discuss these questions and more, FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP) hosts Lt. Gen. Steven Basham, deputy commander of U.S. European Command, and Ambassador Kate Marie Byrnes, the command’s civilian deputy and foreign policy advisor. CMPP Senior Director Bradley Bowman moderates the conversation and Ambassador Eric Edelman, who sits on CMPP’s board, delivers introductory remarks.

For more, check out: fdd.org/events/2024/05/10/transatlantic-security-after-75-years-of-nato-a-conversation-with-us-european-command/